Here’s a brief look at Donald Trump’s relationship with pornographic actress Stormy Daniels.

This is a first for a former US president. Speaking of himself in the third person and, as usual, in capital letters, Donald Trump took to his social network, Truth Social, on Saturday March 18 to confirm that he was going to be. “suspended” tuesday A former White House tenant embroiled in multiple lawsuits and already running for re-election in 2024, Stormy Daniels has hinted that justice may be brought to justice in the scandal. Have sex with a millionaire.

The US Department of Justice has not confirmed the date of this possible arrest. But the Manhattan prosecutor was actually interested in paying to buy the porn star’s silence, when the Republican Party was at the home of his successful presidential campaign in 2016. Francinfo sums it up for a long judicial and political soap opera.

1Stormy Daniels denies having sex with Donald Trump

According to her, Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, met Donald Trump for the first time in 2006 during a golf tournament organized on the shores of Lake Tahoe in the states of California and Nevada. It has been a year since the future president married Melania. Her exchanges with Stormy Daniels, in her opinion, would have resulted in a consensual sexual relationship, and Donald Trump never kept his promise to make her appear on his reality show “The Apprentice.” He claims that the billionaire and the actress had been in a relationship for months and had not spoken to each other.

Even before 2018, the affair had become public, with the exception of an interview given in 2011 in which Stormy Daniels did not mention the relationship, initially undisclosed. In connection (in English). In 2018, she again described her meeting with Donald Trump and their sexual relationship during an interview. on CBS Television Channel (in English)He also reveals that this relationship resulted in threats from the former president’s men and autobiography. Full disclosure. Donald Trump, for his part, still denies having sex with Stormi Daniels.

2 The press reveals the financial deal struck in the middle of the presidential campaign

Ten years later, at the heart of the 2016 US presidential campaign, behind-the-scenes negotiations are taking place to prevent embarrassing outbursts aimed at the Republican nominee. In August, Tabloid National EnquirerHer boss, who is close to Donald Trump, buys the magazine’s former playmate from a model for $150,000. playboy, Karen McDougal, rights to her story about her alleged affair with the billionaire. Purpose of operation: Hide the case. A technique known as catch and kill (“Hold and Remove”) In the United States, confidentiality rules are common.

For her part, Stephanie Clifford has been in contact with Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s personal lawyer. Nicknamed “Pitbull,” the confidant would pay $130,000 in late October 2016, just days before the presidential election, against a nondisclosure agreement from the actress over the Republican candidate’s extramarital affair. On January 12, 2018, The Wall Street Journal Expresses in an article (in English) Termination of this Agreement.

3A legal battle begins between the porn star and the US president

All are accelerated following these revelations. In February 2018, Michael Cohen admitted to paying this amount into Stephanie Clifford’s account without giving reasons. On March 6, 2018, Stormy Daniels filed a complaint against the 45th President of the United States. The confidentiality clause should be invalidated following Michael Cohen’s statements.

At first, Donald Trump didn’t know the financing deal existed. But on May 2, 2018, another of his attorneys, Rudy Giuliani, contradicted Michael Cohen by claiming that he had repaid the money. In August, the latter cooperates with justice and pleads guilty before a federal judge, specifically to violating laws on tax evasion and financing election campaigns. Michael “Cohen paid that money” Buy the actress’s peace “with the intention of influencing the 2016 presidential election”, At that time, the central government prosecutor’s office said. However, he was repaid the sums by the Trump Organization and the US Department of Justice considers it to be a hidden donation to the president’s campaign, which violates campaign finance laws. Michael Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison in December 2018.

4 Justice is interested in the billionaire’s election campaign

Following these revelations, justice is looking at the responsibility of the former president. “There is no crime in making payments. What is illegal is falsifying a company’s business records.” John Coffey, a law professor at Columbia University who specializes in financial crime, told AFP. “The Trump Organization is a Business” and reimbursement to Michael Cohen “Declared intended to cover legal costs”, He continues. False declarations under US law.

If this single charge were held against Donald Trump by a New York state judge, “It’s a wrong move”. “But it becomes a felony, a felony punishable by up to four years in prison, if prosecutors can convince a jury that the fraud was an attempt to cover up another crime.” Illegal donation to 2016 candidate’s campaign, John Coffey continues.

For his part, the former president has always denied having an affair with Stormy Daniels. His lawyers present him as a victim “Shipping” From the actress. And, in every lawsuit targeting him, Donald Trump calls “A Witch Hunt” Principle of Democratic Judiciary. Investigations into the payments to the pornographic actress are being overseen by New York State Attorney for Manhattan Alvin Bragg, a Democrat. In a press release issued last week, Donald Trump asserted that the investigation was an effort “abandon” He is running for the 2024 presidential nomination of the Republican Party The New York Times (in English).

5 Trump said he would be arrested soon

If Donald Trump is never impeached, according to him, he may see this threat come to fruition sooner rather than later. Saturday, March 18, he said he would be “suspended” Next Tuesday. A stimulus “leaking” From the New York attorney’s office, the former US president wrote in capital letters: “Republican candidate (…) and former President of the United States will be arrested on Tuesday next week”Before calling for mobilizations in the country: “Resistance, take back our nation!”

No official confirmation has come from the courts to corroborate the former president’s statements. But on March 9, Donald Trump was subpoenaed to testify before a grand jury, a group of citizens with broad investigative powers and the responsibility of indicting, The New York Times. A possible sign of a desire to prosecute the former president.