‘Do you worry about STDs?’: Stormy Daniels’ testimony on Trump affair off to cringey start

In a courtroom located in New York City on Tuesday at 10:30am, five words were spoken that altered the path of American history: "Stormy Daniels is being called by the people."

Daniels has become a well-known figure and works in the adult film industry. He is currently involved in a criminal trial regarding secret payments, which may result in the imprisonment of Donald Trump, who was previously the country's leader and is presently recognized as the leading Republican candidate for president.

According to Manhattan officials, Donald Trump's former attorney, Michael Cohen, gave $130,000 to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to prevent her from speaking out about their intimate encounter just prior to the 2016 election. He purportedly identified these payments as legitimate business expenditures on official paperwork.

When Daniels arrived at judge Juan Merchan's court today, the discussion about ledgers, checks, and bank records was put on hold.

As she settled into her seat at the stand, Trump glanced over at her before reclining back in his chair with a disinterested expression. Eric, Trump's son seated in the front row behind him, averted his gaze towards the wall. Meanwhile, Alina Habba, a Trump lawyer not involved in this particular case, sat with her arms firmly crossed.

Finally, the highly anticipated legal battle between Daniels and Trump started. She spent numerous hours sharing a sensationalized story that would be perfect for a gossip column about a supposed gathering between them two decades ago.

Daniels had an encounter with Trump at a celebrity golf event held in Lake Tahoe. She explained to the jury about the night when she went to his hotel room, under the impression that his offer to have dinner together was simply that.

Daniels' coworker encouraged her to go on the adventure by saying, "It would create an interesting tale! Is there anything that could potentially go awry?"

According to Daniel, the response would be significant.

She remembered that they agreed to have a quick chat before having dinner. Trump kept asking questions about Daniels' work in the adult entertainment industry, inquiring if she had any concerns regarding sexually transmitted diseases and if she had undergone any tests.

"Definitely, I offered to show it voluntarily," she replied. "He inquired if I had ever received a poor test grade, and I confidently responded with, 'No, feel free to review my complete academic history.'"

Once, Trump began displaying photos to Daniels which included one featuring Melania. Daniels complimented Melania's beauty. Trump then revealed that they had slept in different bedrooms.

In their conversation, The Apprentice, which is a reality show of Trump, was discussed. Daniels expressed that it would be impossible for her to land a role on mainstream TV due to her previous involvement in the adult industry.

At this moment, Trump seemed to draw a comparison between Daniels and his daughter, Ivanka.

Daniels remembers Trump saying, "You're just like my smart, blonde, and lovely daughter. People don't appreciate her intelligence as they should."

After a few words exchanged, Daniels excused herself to go to the restroom. The way to the lavatory was going through a room for sleeping. Upon her exit, Trump was lying on the bed wearing a pair of shorts and a T-shirt.

Daniels testified to the jury, "At the beginning, it startled me like a sudden shock. I was thinking: what did I misunderstand that led me here? When someone is in their undergarments and lying on a bed, the motive is quite obvious."

She attempted to remove herself from the circumstance but was blocked by Trump who was standing in front of the exit. However, she made it clear that he was not posing a threat.

Daniels recollected that Trump told her, "I believed we were progressing. I believed that you were genuinely determined about your desires, if you intend to move out of that mobile home park..." Daniels took umbrage with this statement as she had never resided in a mobile home park.

According to Daniels, they ended up engaging in sexual activity. However, when specific details emerged, such as the type of sexual position and condom use, objections were raised by the defense team. Trump appeared to shake his head at points during Daniels' testimony.

During the trial, Trump got very angry when he heard what Daniels had to say. He even cursed out loud which made Merchan call for legal assistance. Merchan reminded Trump that his behavior was disrespectful and could potentially influence the witness and jury.

Merchan insisted that there is a requirement to converse with the individual. She indicated that she will not permit such behavior. As noted in the transcript of the sidebar, Trump's primary attorney, Todd Blanche, agreed to communicate with his client. The transcript was made public on Tuesday evening.

Blanche requested a new trial because of the additional notes in her comments. "We are asking for a new trial based on the testimonies from this morning," Blanche informed Merchan during the lunch break. "In our opinion, we cannot reverse what has been said."

Blanche stated that in addition to feeling embarrassed, these specific facts only further enraged the jury.

Merchan declined the appeal, however, the lawyer for the defense, Susan Necheles, attempted to portray Daniels as someone who was not just a casualty of events. Necheles inquired as to why Daniels had opted to disclose her story in 2016 after so many years had passed.

"Your intention was to blackmail money out of President Trump, correct?"

"So, that's what you accomplished, isn't it?"

"No, that's not true!" exclaimed Daniels, who confidently opposed the cross-examination after appearing uneasy earlier on.

On Thursday, there will be further questioning of her in court.

Hugo Lowell contributed to the writing of this article.