Stormy Daniels has concluded her testimony in the hush money trial involving former President Donald Trump, marking a crucial moment at the New York Courthouse. The adult-film actress, whose account of a past sexual encounter with Trump has been central to the case, faced rigorous questioning from Trump's legal team. Despite their attempts to challenge her testimony, Daniels remained steadfast in her assertions.
Following Daniels's testimony, the prosecution presented additional witnesses, including a junior bookkeeper from the Trump Organization and a former assistant to Trump during his White House tenure. Testimony concluded, with the judge signaling his readiness to consider motions from Trump's legal team, The Washington Post reported.
Throughout the proceedings, several key updates emerged. Trump's attorney, Todd Blanche, argued for lifting the gag order on Trump regarding Daniels, citing her conclusion as a witness. According to ABC News, Blanche emphasized Trump's desire to address the public discourse surrounding her testimony, while prosecutors expressed concerns about the safety of witnesses given Trump's history of making inflammatory remarks.
Former Playboy model Karen McDougal was revealed to not be called as a witness by Trump's defense team.
Madeleine Westerhout, Trump's former executive assistant in the White House, provided testimony praising the relationship between Trump and his wife Melania, describing it as one of mutual respect. Westerhout became emotional on the stand, reflecting on her departure from the White House due to what she termed a "youthful indiscretion." Despite past remarks about Trump's daughters, she expressed gratitude for his forgiveness and spoke positively of him during her testimony.
Meanwhile, Trump continued his criticism of New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, accusing him of attempting to sway the outcome of the trial and claiming his constitutional rights were being infringed upon.
