President Trump was aware of a six-figure hush-money payment to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels months before he denied knowing about the transaction, The New York Times reported Friday, citing people familiar with the arrangement.
When exactly Trump learned of the payment is unclear. But according to the Times, Trump knew when he denied knowledge of the payment to reporters in April that his personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, had succeeded in silencing Daniels’ allegations that she had an affair with the president.
Questions surfaced once again this week about when Trump became aware of the payment to Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, after Trump lawyer Rudy Giuliani said that Trump had reimbursed Cohen for the payment.
That directly contradicted Trump’s own claims about the transaction, which he previously denied knowing anything about while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One on April 5.
Giuliani also said that Trump reimbursed Cohen $460,000 or $470,000 – much higher than the $130,000 Cohen has acknowledged he paid to Daniels. One person familiar with the agreement told the Times that the payment amounted to $420,000 over 12 months.
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Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg knew since last year that Cohen was being reimbursed for the hush-money payment in the form of a $35,000-per-month retainer, the Times reported.
The money came from the trust that holds Trump’s personal fortune, according to the Times.
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Trump knew about Stormy Daniels payment months before denial: report https://t.co/KgoZVuA7ma pic.twitter.com/9RbzXaYqxV
— The Hill (@thehill) May 5, 2018
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