Donald Trump has dismissed a sketch of a man adult that film actress Stormy Daniels says threatened her on the president's behalf.
US President Donald Trump and adult film actress and director Stormy Daniels. Photo: AFP
The US president claimed on Twitter the man was "nonexistent" and called the sketch "a total con job", in his first public comment about the Stormy Daniels affair.
Ms Daniels, real name Stephanie Clifford, alleged she had a sexual relationship with Mr Trump in 2006.
During a recent television interview she said she was threatened in 2011 in a Las Vegas car park while with her infant daughter.
"A guy walked up on me and said to me, 'Leave Trump alone, forget the story'," she told 60 Minutes.
"And he leaned around and looked at my daughter and said, 'That's a beautiful little girl, it would be a shame if something happened to her mum'."
A sketch years later about a nonexistent man. A total con job, playing the Fake News Media for Fools (but they know it)! https://t.co/9Is7mHBFda
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) April 18, 2018
On Tuesday, Ms Daniels and her attorney Michael Avenatti produced a composite-style sketch of the man and offered a reward of $US100,000 ($NZ136,534) to anyone who could identify the man. On Wednesday Mr Avenatti raised the reward to $US131,000 ($NZ178,860).
A sketch of the man who threatened Ms Daniels in 2011 was revealed on the US talk show. Photo: ABC News
During the 2016 presidential campaign Mr Trump's lawyer paid $130,000 to Ms Daniels, who accepted the sum in return for signing a non-disclosure agreement. Legal analysts have said the payment could have violated the rules of presidential campaign financing.
Ms Daniels is suing the president in an attempt to extricate herself from the non-disclosure agreement.
The agreement was invalid because Mr Trump did not sign it personally, she said.
Mr Trump has reportedly been advised not to make public statements about Ms Daniels but turned to Twitter on Wednesday to repost a tweet by a supporter which suggested the sketch resembled the actress's ex-husband.
Ms Daniels' lawyer, Mr Avenatti, who has not shied away from publicity over the case or from goading Mr Trump, responded to the president's tweet with his own, writing: "In my experience, there is nothing better in litigation than having a completely unhinged, undisciplined opponent who is prone to shooting himself in the foot."
Speaking to the New York Times on Wednesday, Mr Avenatti said the president's tweet could lead to a defamation lawsuit, as he had "now effectively called my client a liar".
In my experience, there is nothing better in litigation than having a completely unhinged, undisciplined opponent who is prone to shooting himself in the foot. Always leads to BIGLY problems…like new claims (i.e. defamation). LOL. #xmas #hanukkah #basta
— Michael Avenatti (@MichaelAvenatti) April 18, 2018
Ms Daniels appeared in an interview with ABC's The View programme on Tuesday, a day after she attended a federal court hearing where Mr Cohen was seeking to limit the ability of prosecutors to review documents seized in recent raids on his home, office and hotel room.
Mr Cohen is being investigated for criminal wrongdoing, and Ms Daniels said she wanted to be present for anything that might be relevant to her.
Legal analysts have said that Mr Cohen's $130,000 payment to Ms Daniels could have violated the rules on financing Mr Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.
- BBC
