Porn actress offers to repay $130,000 if she can discuss Trump
LOS ANGELES — An adult film actress who said she had sex with President Donald Trump offered Monday to return the $130,000 she was paid for agreeing not to discuss the alleged relationship.
Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, is willing to repay the money she received as part of a 2016 agreement, as long as she can speak openly about the relationship, according to a copy of a letter from Daniels’ attorney obtained by The Associated Press.
The letter sent to Trump’s attorney, Michael Cohen and his attorney, Lawrence Rosen, said the non-disclosure agreement would be considered “null and void” after she returned the money, and that would allow Daniels to speak about the relationship and the attempt to silence her while she publishes any text messages, photos and videos she may have.
“Mr. Cohen and the president should accept this proposal and allow Ms. Clifford to tell her side,” her attorney, Michael Avenatti, said. “The American people can then decide who was telling the truth.”
The offer is valid until Tuesday afternoon, the letter said.
Cohen and Rosen did not immediately respond Monday to requests for comment.
Daniels filed a lawsuit in Los Angeles last week that sought to invalidate the agreement so she could “set the record straight.”
The lawsuit claimed the “hush agreement” that was signed days before the 2016 presidential election is legally invalid because it was only signed by Daniels and Cohen and not by Trump. It refers to Trump as David Dennison and Daniels as Peggy Peterson, but an attached exhibit details their true identities.
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said last week that Trump has made it clear that none of the allegations are true.
Cohen has also denied there was ever an affair and said he paid the $130,000 out of his pocket.
He said neither the Trump Organization nor the Trump campaign was a party to the transaction with Daniels.
“Neither reimbursed me for the payment, either directly or indirectly,” he said.
Daniels alleged in the lawsuit that Trump was aware of the negotiations.