LONDON – Stormy Daniels, the adult film actor who played a pivotal role in the trial against former US President Donald Trump, advocates for his incarceration in an interview published in British tabloid The Mirror over the weekend. “I think he should be sentenced to jail and some community service working for the less fortunate or being the volunteer punching bag at a women’s shelter,” Daniels asserted in the interview, released late on June 1.
Her comments come after her testimony against Trump in his New York trial, where he was convicted on 34 counts of business fraud related to hush money payments aimed at silencing Daniels on the eve of the 2016 presidential election. Daniels, also known as Stephanie Clifford, received $130,000 (approximately S$176,000) to maintain silence and prevent a scandal from affecting the election, in which Trump narrowly defeated Hillary Clinton.
The former adult film actor and director played a crucial role in incriminating Trump in court with her testimony, including detailed accounts of what she describes as a casual sexual encounter in 2006. Reflecting on her courtroom experience, Daniels admitted feeling intimidated by the jurors’ scrutiny, but expressed relief at being vindicated. “It’s not over for me. It’s never going to be over for me. Trump may be guilty, but I still have to live with the legacy,” she remarked.
In the days following Trump’s historic conviction on May 30, Daniels remained unusually silent, with her husband, Barrett Blade, suggesting she was still processing the trial’s outcome and could potentially face threats from Trump’s supporters.
Addressing the threats, Daniels conveyed feeling “shocked” but affirmed her determination to speak out against injustice. She criticized Trump as “completely and utterly out of touch with reality,” drawing parallels between his behavior and that of a child.
As Daniels continues to navigate the aftermath of her involvement in the trial, her outspoken stance against Trump underscores the enduring impact of her testimony and the broader implications for accountability and justice in the political arena.