Former President Trump indicted over Stormy Daniels payment

Former US President Donald Trump has been indicted by a grand jury on charges related to hush money payments he allegedly made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in 2016. According to sources from The New York Times, CNN and ABC News, the Manhattan grand jury voted to indict Trump, making him the first sitting or former president to face criminal charges in US history. The indictment is expected to be announced in the coming days.

The news of the alleged affair between Trump and Daniels first surfaced in 2018 when the Wall Street Journal reported that Trump paid $130,000 to the ex-porn star to keep quiet about their alleged sexual encounter years earlier. While Trump initially denied the claims, his former lawyer Michael Cohen later admitted that he made the payment to Daniels out of his own pocket. Trump has since acknowledged authorizing the payment but continues to deny that the payment was in any way connected to his campaign or the alleged affair.

The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office began presenting evidence to a grand jury in January, and witnesses, including former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, were seen entering the grand jury building over the course of the investigation. The Enquirer admitted in 2018 that it helped broker “catch and kill” deals with Daniels and other women, paying them hush money to silence them ahead of the 2016 election.

Trump’s lawyer, Joseph Tacopina, has said that the former president would surrender to face criminal charges if he is indicted. Trump, however, has called the charges “political persecution and election interference” and accused his opponents of attempting to destroy the Make America Great Again movement.

As the story develops, it remains to be seen what the ultimate outcome of the case will be and how it will impact Trump’s legacy. Stay tuned for further updates on this developing story.