Stormy Daniels will appear on national television for a full-length interview for the first time since the sordid scandal involving her and President Donald Trump burst into public view.
The interview, with host Anderson Cooper, was taped earlier this month. Speculation has swirled that Trump’s lawyers might seek an injunction to prevent its broadcast, but CBS announced Wednesday that it would air the “60 Minutes” interview with Daniels on Sunday.
The adult-film star, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, agreed to go forward with the interview despite an agreement in which she received $130,000 from Trump’s lawyer, Michael Cohen, to stay silent about what she says was a sexual relationship with Trump that took place more than 10 years ago, around the time that Trump’s youngest son Barron was born.
The story of the alleged affair between Trump and Daniels spilled into public view when the Wall Street Journal reported in January about the payment from Trump’s lawyer, which was made shortly before the 2016 election.
Daniels has been trying to nullify the nondisclosure agreement, based in part on the argument that Trump never signed it.
The salacious story has steadily drawn attention, fueled by the willingness of Michael Avenatti, Daniels’ lawyer, and Daniels to court the publicity from the scandal. Bits and pieces of Daniels and Trump’s alleged relationship — and the steps taken to keep it quiet — have also come into focus in the news media.
Tension between the two camps reached a bizarre apex this week when CNN hosted Avenatti and one of Cohen’s lawyers — you read that right — to argue about the agreement.
Trump has denied the affair, and his lawyers have said that Daniels may be liable for up to $20 million for breaking the confidentiality agreement.
CBS included a 10-second teaser of the interview but gave little clues about what it will entail, noting only that it will cover the legal issues around the $130,000 payment. “I guess I’m not 100 percent sure about why you’re doing this,” Cooper says to her, before the clip ends.
