45-year-old S. Daniels, who has starred in and directed adult films for many years, says that in 2006 had sexual relations with D. Trump, and shortly before 2016 in the election where he was running against Hillary Clinton, she was paid to keep quiet about it, as news of the affair could have doomed Trump’s campaign.
Trump denies ever having sex with Daniels, and the former president’s lawyer, Susan Necheles, filed an objection to the witness being allowed to testify about any “sexual acts.”
“It would be unduly prejudicial,” Necheles told Judge Juan Mecahn.
Prosecutor Susan Hoffinger said Daniels’ testimony would not be graphic and would contain “nothing obscene.”
“A few minor details will be briefly mentioned,” said Mr. Hoffinger.
Prosecutors say Trump was desperate to squelch Daniels’ story before it destroyed his chances of winning the 2016 runoff. campaign, illegally settled with her lawyer Michael Cohen when he paid her $130,000 to remain silent.
He faces 34 charges of falsifying business documents.
Mr. Cohen, who has since become a fierce critic of his former client, is also expected to appear as a prosecution witness in the trial.
“Very controversial”
It will be the first time that Ms. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, will face Trump, who has insulted her for years, even during his presidency.
And their confrontation in court will take place exactly half a year before the election day, when D. Trump will try to defeat the candidate of the Democratic Party, Joe Biden, to return to power once again.
Mr. Trump, 77, will not be able to attack Ms. Daniels because Mr. Merchan charged him with contempt of court on Monday for repeatedly disobeying a gag order.
This order is intended to prevent Mr. Trump from attacking witnesses, jurors and court representatives in the media in order to influence the trial.
According to Mr. Merchan, if he continues to violate this order, Mr. Trump may face prison time in addition to the fines already imposed on him.
In a post on Truth Social on Tuesday that was soon deleted, Trump angrily complained that he “just got told who’s going to testify today.”
“It’s unprecedented, there’s no time for lawyers to prepare,” he explained, describing the judge as “CROOKED AND VERY CONTROVERSIAL.”
He did not comment when he appeared in court on Tuesday.
This trial is the first criminal case brought against the President of the United States in the history of this country and one of four court cases opened against D. Trump.
In addition to the New York case, Trump is accused in Washington and Georgia of conspiring to overturn Biden’s 2020 campaign. election results.
He is also accused of illegally keeping classified documents taken from the White House at his Florida home and refusing to return them.
