The Stormy Daniels 60 Minutes interview provided just what you’d expect from a woman who knows how to handle the media as well as she does: a few revelations to fuel the scandal surrounding her alleged 2006 affair with Donald Trump, and a promise that there’s more to come.
Trump probably wouldn’t have been able to block CBS from airing the interview (though he reportedly considered trying), and it seems Daniels is confident that her nondisclosure agreement will be voided — though Trump’s attorneys claim she already owes him at least $20 million. She told Anderson Cooper that she’s willing to accept the legal risks to clear up the rumors that have been circulating since the story broke in January. “I was perfectly fine saying nothing at all, but I’m not okay with being made out to be a liar, or people thinking that I did this for money,” she said.
The interview’s biggest revelation was Daniels’s claim that after sharing her story with In Touch Weekly magazine in 2011, a man approached her and made what she interpreted as a physical threat, telling her to “leave Trump alone,” then looking at her infant daughter and saying, “It’d be a shame if something happened to her mom.”
If true, there could be serious legal consequences for Trump and his lawyer, Michael Cohen. And while Cooper later revealed that there are “many, many tawdry details which we did not include in the story because it’s just, you know, that’s not our interest,” there were a few more tidbits about the president’s alleged sexual proclivities. Here are the wildest new claims:
Spanking Trump With His Own Magazine Cover Wasn’t His Idea
Daniels confirmed the report that she spanked Trump with a copy of Forbes featuring him and his adult children, but apparently this isn’t part of his usual sexual repertoire. She told Cooper that during her first dinner with Trump in July 2006 in Lake Tahoe, he kept showing off the magazine cover, so she jokingly spanked him with it.
Stormy Daniels: I was like, “Does this– does this normally work for you?” And he looked very taken– taken back, like, he didn’t really understand what I was saying. Like, I was– does, just, you know, talking about yourself normally work?” And I was like, “Someone should take that magazine and spank you with it.” [Laughs.] And I’ll never forget the look on his face. He was like–
Anderson Cooper: What– what was his look?
Stormy Daniels: Just, I don’t think anyone’s ever spoken to him like that, especially, you know, a young woman who looked like me. And I said, you know, “Give me that,” and I just remember him going, “You wouldn’t.” “Hand it over.” And– so he did, and I was like, turn around, drop ‘em.”
Anderson Cooper: You– you told Donald Trump to turn around and take off his pants.
Stormy Daniels: Yes.
Anderson Cooper: And did he?
Stormy Daniels: Yes. So he turned around and pulled his pants down a little– you know had underwear on and stuff and I just gave him a couple swats.
He Does Have a Habit of Comparing Women to Ivanka
Just 72 hours after Karen McDougal, another woman suing so she can talk about her relationship with Trump, said he told her she was beautiful like Ivanka, Daniels said the same thing.
Stormy Daniels: [After the spanking] he quit talking about himself and he asked me things and I asked him things and it just became like more appropriate.
Anderson Cooper: It became more comfortable.
Stormy Daniels: Yeah. He was like, “Wow, you– you are special. You remind me of my daughter.” You know– he was like, “You’re smart and beautiful, and a woman to be reckoned with, and I like you. I like you.”
Trump Didn’t Seem That Concerned About Melania
Anderson Cooper: Melania Trump had recently given birth to– to a son, just a few months before. Did that– did he mention his wife or child at all in this?
Stormy Daniels: I asked. And he brushed it aside, said, “Oh yeah, yeah, you know, don’t worry about that. We don’t even we have separate rooms and stuff.”
In news that definitely isn’t related, the president headed back to the White House just before the 60 Minutes interview aired on Sunday, but Melania stayed at Mar-a-Lago. “The First Lady will be staying in Florida as is their tradition for spring break, ” said Deputy Press Secretary Lindsay Walters.
Daniels Didn’t Really Want to Sleep With Trump — But Considers Their Encounter Consensual
Daniels said that after having dinner with Trump in his room, she used the restroom, and when she emerged he was sitting on the bed.
Stormy Daniels: I realized exactly what I’d gotten myself into. And I was like, “Ugh, here we go.” [Laughs.] And I just felt like maybe– [laughs] it was sort of– I had it coming for making a bad decision for going to someone’s room alone and I just heard the voice in my head, “Well, you put yourself in a bad situation and bad things happen, so you deserve this.”
While that statement raises several issues related to the recent anti-sexual-harassment movement, Daniels made it clear that in her view, “This is not a ‘Me Too.’”
Anderson Cooper: You were 27, he was 60. Were you physically attracted to him?
Stormy Daniels: No.
Anderson Cooper: Not at all?
Stormy Daniels: No.
Anderson Cooper: Did you want to have sex with him?
Stormy Daniels: No. But I didn’t– I didn’t say no. I’m not a victim, I’m not–
Anderson Cooper: It was entirely consensual.
Stormy Daniels: Oh, yes, yes.
They Did Not Use Protection
Days after McDougal told Cooper about Trump’s dislike of condoms, Daniels said they didn’t even discuss the matter.
Anderson Cooper: You work in an industry where condom use is– is an issue. Did– did he use a condom?
Stormy Daniels: No.
Anderson Cooper: Did you ask him to?
Stormy Daniels: No. I honestly didn’t say anything.
Some noted that Daniels’s nondisclosure agreement referenced “alleged children,” but her attorney, Michael Avenatti, told the Wrap that this was “boilerplate language” common to NDAs. He said Trump did not impregnate Daniels, and had no knowledge of children whose existence he was trying to keep quiet.
Trump Offered to Put Daniels on Celebrity Apprentice
Daniels said that during their first meeting, Trump asked her if she’d like to be a contestant on his reality show. She said NBC would never allow it, but he countered, “That’s why I want you. You’re gonna shock a lotta people, you’re smart and they won’t know what to expect.”
A year after they met, she went to Trump’s bungalow at the Beverly Hills Hotel to discuss the idea further — but wound up watching Shark Week instead.
Stormy Daniels: I remember arriving, and he was watching Shark Week. He made me sit and watch an entire documentary about shark attacks.
Anderson Cooper: It wasn’t at that point a business meeting, it was just watching Shark Week.
Stormy Daniels: Yeah.
Anderson Cooper: Did you have sex with him again?
Stormy Daniels: No.
Anderson Cooper: Did he want to?
Stormy Daniels: Yes.
Anderson Cooper: How do you know he wanted to?
Stormy Daniels: Because he came and sat next to me and, you know, touched my hair, and put his hand on my leg, and r– referenced back to how great it was the last time.
Anderson Cooper: How did you get out of it?
Stormy Daniels: Well, I’d been there for, like, four hours. And so I then was like, “Well, before, you know, can we talk about what’s the development?” And he was like, “I’m almost there. I’ll have an answer for you next week.” And I was like, “Okay, cool. Well– I guess call me next week.” And I just took my purse and left.
Daniels Was Physically Threatened After Telling Her Story
Trump called a month later to say Celebrity Apprentice wouldn’t work out, and they never spoke again. In 2011, Daniels agreed to sell the tale of her one sexual encounter with Trump to a sister publication of In Touch for $15,000, but the story never ran and she was never paid. Former employees said the story was killed because Cohen threatened to sue. Daniels said she was threatened by an unknown man in Las Vegas several weeks later.
Stormy Daniels: I was in a parking lot, going to a fitness class with my infant daughter. T– taking, you know, the seats facing backwards in the backseat, diaper bag, you know, gettin’ all the stuff out. And a guy walked up on me and said to me, “Leave Trump alone. Forget the story.” And then he leaned around and looked at my daughter and said, “That’s a beautiful little girl. It’d be a shame if something happened to her mom.” And then he was gone.
Anderson Cooper: You took it as a direct threat?
Stormy Daniels: Absolutely.
Stormy Daniels: I was rattled. I remember going into the workout class. And my hands are shaking so much, I was afraid I was gonna– drop her.
Daniels Accepted the Hush Money Offer Because She Was Scared
Daniels said that when Trump won the GOP nomination she began receiving substantial offers to tell her story, but then Cohen said he would pay $130,000 if she remained silent. Daniels said that was appealing because she would receive some money, without subjecting herself and her child to negative attention.
Anderson Cooper: Was it hush money to stay silent?
Stormy Daniels: Yes. The story was coming out again. I was concerned for my family and their safety.
Anderson Cooper: I think some people watching this are going to doubt that you entered into this negotiation– because you feared for your safety. They’re gonna think y– that you saw an opportunity.
Stormy Daniels: I think the fact that I didn’t even negotiate, I just quickly said yes to this v– very, you know, strict contract. And what most people will agree with me extremely low number. It’s all the proof I need.
Cohen Used Trump Organization Addresses When He Was Ostensibly Working Independently
In response to allegations that the $130,000 payment to Daniels was an illegal campaign contribution, Trump’s attorney has insisted that it came out of his own pocket, and had nothing to do with Trump’s business or campaign. Daniels’s new attorney said Cohen’s use of his business addresses at the Trump Organization suggest otherwise.
Anderson Cooper: He’s found documents that show Michael Cohen used his Trump Organization email address in setting up the payment. He also says the nondisclosure agreement Stormy Daniels signed in 2016, when she was represented by a different lawyer, was FedEx-ed to Cohen at his Trump Organization office in Trump Tower in New York.
Michael Avenatti: That is a copy of the Federal Express confirmation.
Anderson Cooper: The cover letter from Daniels’s previous attorney also identifies who he thought Michael Cohen was working for.
Michael Avenatti: To Mr. Cohen as executive vice-president and special counsel to Donald J. Trump, the Trump Organization, again– listing the Fifth Avenue address. This idea that there’s a separation now between Mr. Cohen, individually, and the Trump Organization or Mr. Cohen, individually, and Donald Trump, it– it– it’s nonsense.
Daniels Felt Pressured Into Signing False Statements
While Cohen has denied that he ever threatened Daniels, she said she felt she “had no choice” but to sign the statements released earlier this year in which she denied the affair and the hush-money payment.
Anderson Cooper: So you signed and released– a statement that said I am not denying this affair because I was paid in hush money I’m denying it because it never happened. That’s a lie?
Stormy Daniels: Yes.
Anderson Cooper: If it was untruthful, why did you sign it?
Stormy Daniels: Because they made it sound like I had no choice.
Anderson Cooper: I mean, no one was putting a gun to your head?
Stormy Daniels: Not physical violence, no.
Anderson Cooper: You thought that there would be some sort of legal repercussion if you didn’t sign it?
Stormy Daniels: Correct. As a matter of fact, the exact sentence used was, “They can make your life hell in many different ways.”
Anderson Cooper: They being…
Stormy Daniels: I’m not exactly sure who they were. I believe it to be Michael Cohen.
If the Trump Sexts Exist, Daniels Isn’t Ready to Release Them
Daniels’s NDA says she must hand over “certain still images and/or text messages,” and on Twitter, Avenatti has fanned speculation that she may have compromising images of the president. If it exists, they’re saving it for the next blockbuster interview.
Anderson Cooper: Did you [hand over the material]?
Stormy Daniels: I can’t answer that right now.
Anderson Cooper: You don’t want to say one way or the other if you have text messages or other items?
Stormy Daniels: My attorney has recommended that I don’t discuss those things.
Anderson Cooper: You seem to be saying that she has some sort of text message, or video, or– or photographs. Or you could just be bluffing.
Michael Avenatti: You should ask some of the other people in my career when they’ve bet on me bluffing.
This post has been updated throughout.
