Daniels recounts meeting Trump in detailed testimony, at times graphic

NEW YORK — Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the hush money trial involving former President Donald Trump, recounting a sexual encounter she says they had in 2006. The trial has been filled with tabloidesque elements and legal details, making Daniels’ testimony the most-awaited spectacle.

Jurors were captivated as Daniels provided a detailed and graphic account of the encounter, which Trump has denied. Trump, who was present in the courtroom, appeared stoic as Daniels testified, whispering to his lawyers and shaking his head.

Daniels’ testimony is crucial to the case, as it involves a $130,000 payment made to her by Trump’s then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, to keep quiet about the alleged encounter during the 2016 presidential race.

During her testimony, Daniels described how a chance meeting at a golf tournament led to a sexual encounter initiated by Trump. She mentioned feeling an imbalance of power due to Trump’s size and presence of his bodyguard.

Daniels also revealed that Trump invited her to dinner and back to his hotel suite, where the encounter took place. She stated that Trump suggested they did not sleep in the same room, a detail that prompted a reaction from Trump in court.

The trial has shed light on the events leading up to the payment to Daniels, including negotiations with Cohen and the National Enquirer. Daniels maintained her nondisclosure agreement until details of the hush money arrangement were made public in 2018.

The trial is the first of Trump’s four criminal cases to reach a jury, with prosecutors building toward Cohen’s testimony. Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection with the payments.

As Daniels prepares to return to the witness stand, the trial continues to unravel a complex web of sex, payoffs, and cover-ups involving a former American president.