Stormy Daniels: Trump invited, sets to testify before grand jury

New York prosecutors have invited ex-US President Donald Trump to testify to a grand jury over the Stormy Daniels case, his lawyer has confirmed.

The Manhattan district attorney has investigated Mr Trump for five years over alleged hush money payments made on his behalf to the ex-porn star.

Inviting him to a grand jury indicates he could face charges, US media report.

Daniels says she got $130,000 before the 2016 election in exchange for silence about an alleged affair.

However, Trump denies they had sexual relations.

A grand jury is set up by a prosecutor to determine whether there is enough evidence to pursue charges in a case.

It is held in secret, and several former aides of the ex-president have reportedly testified in this case.

If prosecutors proceed, it could be the first criminal case ever brought against a former US president.

It is one of several in which Trump is currently being investigated, although he has not yet been charged in any and denies wrongdoing in each.

They come as the 76-year-old Republican embarks on another campaign for the White House.

Prosecutors have not commented on the news of the invitation, reported in US media and confirmed by Mr Trump’s legal team.

It is unclear what charges he may face. Joseph Tacopina, a member of the team, said that there was no legal basis for a case and that he did not believe prosecutors had made a decision on charges “one way or another.”

And on his social media network Truth Social, Mr Trump himself called the investigation a political witch-hunt by what he described as a “corrupt, depraved, and weaponised justice system.”

The case stemmed from an allegation that Trump directed his former lawyer to pay Stormy Daniels, an adult film actress, to stop her from speaking out about an alleged affair.

The lawyer, Michael Cohen, was later jailed on multiple charges.

Cohen testified under oath that Trump had directed him to make the payment of $130,000 (£110,000) just days before the 2016 election.

Trump has acknowledged reimbursing the payment but denied the affair and any wrongdoing regarding campaign laws.

The case centres on Trump’s alleged role in covering up the payment by falsifying his business accounts.

 

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