In a surprising development ahead of the 2024 election, former President Donald Trump’s legal team reportedly made a renewed effort to silence adult film star Stormy Daniels. According to MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, Trump’s attorney approached Daniels this summer with an offer that included a hush money settlement—despite the scandal already being widely known.
Background on the Stormy Daniels Case
In 2016, just days before the election, Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen paid $130,000 to Daniels to prevent her from going public about an alleged affair with the then-Republican presidential candidate. Although the payment was meant to keep the story under wraps, it eventually surfaced during Trump’s presidency. Years later, in May 2024, a Manhattan jury convicted Trump on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records tied to the payment.
Trump’s Recent Attempt to Silence Daniels
Despite the legal battle that had already unfolded, Trump’s legal team made another offer to Daniels during the summer of 2024. The issue stems from a previous defamation lawsuit filed by Daniels in 2018 over a Trump tweet. The suit was dismissed, and Daniels was ordered to pay Trump’s legal fees. By mid-2024, the two parties were still negotiating the final amount, with Trump’s team proposing $652,000 and Daniels’ team arguing for a lower amount.
In July, Trump’s lawyer made a new offer: they would accept $620,000, but only if Daniels agreed to sign a nondisclosure agreement (NDA) barring her from speaking publicly or privately about her alleged interactions with Trump. Daniels’ lawyer rejected the proposal, and they later settled for $627,500 without an NDA.
Trump’s Team Denies Hacking Allegations
After the story broke, Trump’s campaign communications director, Steven Cheung, responded by claiming the documents cited by Maddow were obtained through an illegal hack by foreign actors. However, Maddow clarified that the materials came from Daniels’ attorney.
Why Attempt a Second Payout?
Many are questioning why Trump’s legal team would even attempt a second hush money agreement with Daniels. Given that her claims about the alleged affair have been widely publicized, it seems unlikely that this latest effort would change public opinion. Some speculate that Trump’s legal team may be overly cautious or that they wanted to prevent Daniels from making further sensational claims.
