Who is Stormy Daniels? The adult film star who took down a former US President

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has been convicted of 34 charges in his New York court case involving Porn star Stormy Daniels and the hush money he paid to her through his business.

Earlier this month, Ms. Daniels recounted their sexual encounter in court as Mr. Trump sat just a few feet away. She stated that she and Mr. Trump had a sexual encounter, and that she accepted $130,000 from his former lawyer before the 2016 election in exchange for her silence about it.

Who is Stormy Daniels?

Ms. Daniels, 45, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, is an adult film star and director from Louisiana who has won multiple awards for her work in the industry.

Furthermore, she also appeared in mainstream Hollywood movies, such as the comedies The 40-Year-Old Virgin and Knocked Up from the 2000s.

She also ventured into politics and had previously identified herself as a Republican, belonging to the same party as Mr. Trump.

Stormy Daniels' affair with Donald Trump

The ex-adult film actress testified last week for several tense days, revealing explicit details about the purported intimate encounter and the events surrounding the hush-money payment.

Initially displaying nervousness and speaking at a rapid pace, Ms. Daniels testified about her initial meeting with Mr. Trump at a celebrity golf tournament in July 2006.

She recalled him inviting her to dine with him, noting her reluctance to accept the invitation, however her publicist had encouraged her to go.

Melania Trump, Mr. Trump's wife, was not present at the tournament as she had recently given birth.

She proceeded to recount her arrival at Mr. Trump's suite for dinner in Lake Tahoe, a resort area straddling California and Nevada. She testified that he greeted her at the door clad in silk pajamas.

Ms. Daniels described how she went to the restroom and upon returning, found Mr. Trump lying in bed wearing just boxer shorts and a t-shirt. She testified that they engaged in consensual relations but noted that the encounter left her feeling disoriented.

Stormy Daniels received payments to stay silent

Ms. Daniels said that Trump's lawyer, Michael Cohen paid her $130,000 in "hush money" to remain silent about the affair shortly before the 2016 election, which Mr. Trump went on to win.

She stated that she accepted it due to concerns for her family's safety. Ms. Daniels also mentioned that she faced legal and physical threats to remain silent.

In 2018, Ms. Daniels recounted an incident from seven years prior when an unidentified man approached her and her infant daughter in a Las Vegas parking lot and warned her to "leave Trump alone".

In an interview with CBS' 60 Minutes, she recalled the stranger saying, "that's a beautiful little girl. It'd be a shame if something happened to her mom."

Prior to the episode's broadcast, a shell company associated with Mr. Cohen threatened Ms. Daniels with a $20 million lawsuit, claiming she had violated their non-disclosure agreement (NDA), or "hush agreement."

Ms. Daniels told CBS that by speaking on national television, she was risking a million-dollar fine, but she felt it was "it was very important to me to be able to defend myself".