In a heated day at the New York hush money trial, Stormy Daniels took the stand on Tuesday, marking her first day of testimony against former President Donald Trump. The adult film star, central to the criminal case, was pressed on the stand by Trump’s attorneys, leading to tense exchanges that had CNN’s legal experts commenting on the effectiveness of the defense team’s cross-examination.
During the prosecution’s questioning, Daniels detailed her alleged 2006 sexual encounter with Trump and the $130,000 hush money payment from Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen just before the 2016 presidential election. As the defense probed deeper, Daniels reportedly raised her voice, shouting at one point, “He made fun of me first!” while describing her disdain for Trump and the media scrutiny she’s faced.
Trump, who was present in the courtroom, leaned back in his chair during her testimony, showing a stark contrast to his earlier agitated demeanor. CNN described it as “toddler-like” behavior on display. The defense argued that Daniels’ explicit testimony overstepped the bounds of relevance and sought a mistrial, which the presiding judge denied.
CNN’s legal experts noted the unfolding shift in attitudes throughout the day. Honig pointed out the inversion of reactions between Daniels