Trump's New Move to Silence Stormy Daniels Feels Like History Repeating Itself — Yet Again

Donald Trump has reportedly attempted to strike a new deal to ensure Stormy Daniels remains silent about any past "interactions" between them—this time by offering to reduce the amount of money she owes him. On Wednesday, MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow reported that Trump’s lawyer allegedly proposed a financial incentive to Daniels, offering to lower the amount she owes if she agreed not to speak about the Republican candidate before the 2024 presidential election.

According to Maddow, Trump’s attorney had approached Daniels with a proposal where "both sides would pretend that Stormy Daniels owed less money to Trump than they actually believed she owed." Maddow further alleged that by seeking less than the full amount, Trump was attempting to make "another hush money deal" with Daniels. The Trump team is already attempting to downplay the situation by claiming the documents were improperly obtained.

According to MSNBC, Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung stated that the information was acquired as "part of an illegal, foreign hacking attack against President Trump." He said, “We are working with authorities to determine the legal repercussions for those likely committing federal offenses by posting and utilizing stolen material by terror regime adversaries,” and “Ms. Daniels has been held to account by having to pay President Trump over and above the money she owes to him as a result of her wrongdoings.”

In May, Trump made history as the first former U.S. president to be convicted of a felony, found guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records. His conviction largely stemmed from efforts to hide hush money payments made to Daniels before the 2016 presidential election, according to Intelligencer. Daniels alleged that she and Trump had a sexual encounter in 2006 and that she accepted $130,000 in hush money from his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, before the 2016 election.

Cohen was subsequently imprisoned after admitting to multiple charges, including tax evasion and violating campaign finance laws. Trump has consistently denied having any sexual relationship with Daniels. According to Maddow’s report, the documents she obtained reveal that this time, Trump wasn’t proposing a direct payment to Daniels. Instead, he reportedly offered to accept a reduced amount from Daniels, who, as Trump claimed, still owed him money after losing a defamation suit in 2018 even after paying the amount in full. In return, he wanted her to refrain from making any disparaging remarks about him. 

In the July letter, Trump’s lawyers stated, “We disagree that a payment of $620,000 would be in full satisfaction of the three judgments,” as disclosed by Maddow, who received the letter from Daniels' attorney. “However, we can agree to settle these matters for $620,000, provided that your client agrees in writing to make no public or private statements related to any alleged past interactions with President Trump, or defamatory or disparaging statements about him, his businesses, and/or any affiliates or his suitability as a candidate for President,” the letter continued. Daniels’ lawyer told MSNBC that they declined the offer and settled on $627,500 without Daniels’ agreeing to remain silent.