Stormy Daniels made her first entry into politics back in 2009, when she considered running for David Vitter’s Senate seat in Louisiana.
“Politics can't be any dirtier of a job than the one I am already in."
— Stormy Daniels, 2009
According to Daniels, Trump called to say he had seen her on TV, and that she looked great.
But a real Donald Trump/Stormy Daniels timeline has to start in July 2006. That’s when the then 27-year-old porn star and pageant contestant (Miss Nude Great Plains 2001) was introduced to the 59-year-old Donald Trump. Trump had been married to Slovenian model Melanija Knavs for 18 months, and Melania had given birth to the couple’s first child in March. Daniels and Trump began an affair on the same evening they met.
And then …
Oct. 2011
In Touch Weekly conducts an interview with Daniels in which she details her affair with Trump, but the magazine shelves the article.
Website The Dirty provides a short piece about the affair between Trump and someone “pretty well known” with details that match his time with Daniels.
Oct. 2016
Daniels discusses telling her story with Good Morning America.
Oct. 16, 2016
The Smoking Gun publishes the first account of the affair.
Though Trump finished in the tournament’s lower reaches, the weekend was not a total loss. While the billionaire’s wife was at home with the couple’s four-month-old son, Trump struck up an acquaintance with a female celebrity who did not tee off, but rather worked the event.
Oct. 28, 2016
Daniels signs Nondisclosure agreement along with Michael Cohen.
Under the agreement, which uses the pseudonyms "David Dennison" and "Peggy Peterson" to identify Trump and Clifford respectively, Clifford would be required to pay Trump $1 million for each breach. Clifford signed the agreement on the allotted line for "PP" on Oct. 28, 2016. But the space over "DD" remains blank.
Nov. 4, 2016
Wall Street Journal publishes a story on how both the Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal stories were being covered up.
The Trump spokeswoman, Ms. Hicks, said it was “absolutely, unequivocally” untrue that Ms. Clifford had a relationship with Mr. Trump.
Jan. 12, 2018
Wall Street Journal reports on Cohen’s $130,000 payment to Daniels.
In a statement, Mr. Cohen didn’t address the $130,000 payment but said of the alleged sexual encounter that “President Trump once again vehemently denies any such occurrence as has Ms. Daniels.”
Mr. Cohen added in the statement, addressed to The Wall Street Journal: “This is now the second time that you are raising outlandish allegations against my client. You have attempted to perpetuate this false narrative for over a year; a narrative that has been consistently denied by all parties since at least 2011.”
This article also makes public the existence of Trump’s nondisclosure agreement with Daniels.
Jan. 18, 2018
From the Press Pool report of that day.
Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah: This allegation was asked and answered during the campaign, and I’ll point you to those comments. … Like I said, this matter was asked and answered during the campaign, and anything else could be directed to Michael Cohen.
Jan. 30, 2018
Daniels appears on Jimmy Kimmel’s late-night talk show, but says little after hinting that she is subject to a nondisclosure.
Feb. 14, 2018
Daniel’s lawyer, Michael Avenatti, indicates that the NDA is no longer valid because of statements by Trump and Cohen.
Feb. 22, 2018
Deputy Press Secretary Raj Shah says he has not talked to Trump about the Daniels affair.
Q: Is the president aware that his lawyer paid that kind of money to a porn star to buy her silence? Does he approve of that?
SHAH: I haven’t asked him about it. But that matter has been asked and answered in the past.
March 6, 2018
Daniels sues Trump, claiming that the nondisclosure agreement she signed, and which Trump did not, was invalid.
March 7, 2018
The attorney for porn actress Stormy Daniels said Wednesday that President Trump knew about hush money paid right before the 2016 election to keep her silence about their sexual relationship.
"There's no question the president knew about it at the time," attorney Michael Avenatti said on NBC's Today show.
From the Press Pool report of that day.
Q: Did the president approve of the payment that was made in October of 2016 by his longtime lawyer and advisor, Michael Cohen?
SANDERS: Look, the president has addressed these directly and made very well clear that none of these allegations are true. This case has already been won in arbitration. And anything beyond that, I would refer you to the President's outside counsel.
March 9, 2018
From the Press Pool report of that day.
Q: And then, second: You said from the podium -- you acknowledged that the President, to follow up on April's question, knows about the arbitration involving Stormy Daniels. So does he remember speaking with his lawyer about that? Does he remember meeting Daniels back in 2006?
SANDERS: I've addressed this extensively. I don't have anything else to add.
In Touch Weekly publishes an interview dating back to 2011 in which Daniels discusses her affair with Trump.
March 28, 2018
From the Press Pool report of that day.
Q: You haven't answered the subset question about whether the president was aware of the $130,000 payment that was made under an agreement in which he is explicitly named to keep Stormy Daniels silent. Can you answer that question? You were asked three weeks ago today and said you weren't aware. Are you aware now?
SANDERS: Look, the president has denied the allegations. We've spoken about this issue extensively. And I don't have anything else to add beyond that. Anything beyond that, I would refer you to the outside counsel.
April 2, 2018
Trump files for arbitration with Daniels.
President Donald Trump asked a federal judge on Monday to order private arbitration in a case brought by a porn actress who claimed she had an affair with him.
April 4, 2018
Pool report from Trump onboard Air Force 1: Trump denies knowing about the payment.
Q: Did you know about the $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels?
TRUMP: No.
Q: Why did Michael Cohen make the payment?
TRUMP: You’ll have to ask Michael Cohen. Michael is my attorney. You’ll have to ask Michael.
Q: Do you know where the money came from?
TRUMP: No, I don’t know.
POTUS ignored a question on whether he ever set up a fund of money that Cohen could draw from.
April 9, 2018
FBI agents from the Southern District of New York office raid Michael Cohen’s office and home.
The F.B.I. agents who raided the office of President Trump’s personal lawyer on Monday were looking for records about payments to two women who claim they had affairs with Mr. Trump, and information related to the publisher of The National Enquirer’s role in silencing one of the women, several people briefed on the investigation said.
April 10, 2018
From the White House press briefing transcript of that day.
Q: And when did the President first learn of the payment from Michael Cohen to Stormy Daniels and their nondisclosure agreement?
SANDERS: I'm not sure on the exact timing.
Q: And did the President --
SANDERS: Sorry, I'm going to keep moving because we're tight on time.
April 25, 2018
Michael Cohen asserts his Fifth Amendment rights and seeks to freeze suit by Daniels.
The money quote is: “Based upon the advice of counsel, I will assert my 5th amendment rights in connection with all proceedings in this case due to the ongoing criminal investigation by the FBI and U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York.” Cohen is seeking to put a freeze on the defamation lawsuit filed against him by Daniels, and the federal judge handling the case in L.A. had ordered him earlier on Wednesday to submit a declaration pleading the 5th if he wanted to have a chance of getting a stay of the case.
April 27, 2018
Judge grants Cohen’s request for a temporary freeze on Daniels’s suit.
U.S. District Judge S. James Otero agreed to pause the case for three months and set a hearing for July 27.
April 28, 2018
Daniels sues Trump for defamation of character.
Daniels asks for a jury trial and for expedited discovery in the filing against Trump, Cohen and the “firm” Cohen created to pay Daniels off, Essential Consultants LLC. Specifically, Team Daniels is seeking:
Donald Trump phones in to Fox & Friends:
TRUMP: Well, he has a percentage of my overall legal work — a tiny, tiny little fraction. But, Michael would represent me and represent me on some things. He represents me — like with this crazy Stormy Daniels deal he represented me. And, you know, from what I see he did absolutely nothing wrong. There were no campaign funds going into this —
May 1, 2018
From the White House press briefing transcript of that day.
Q: And if I may, I just wanted to ask you about something that took place last week involving the President's personal attorney, Michael Cohen. He, in court documents, asserted that he would assert his Fifth Amendment rights in the Stormy Daniels lawsuit, which was filed against both him and the President. And you may recall that in September of 2017, the President at a campaign rally, said, "The mob takes the Fifth." And he also said, "If you're innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?" Do those ideas also apply to Michael Cohen? Does the President stand by those comments?
SANDERS: I can't speak on behalf of Michael Cohen. I'd refer you to him.
Q: And did the President have any response to the defamation suit filed yesterday by Stormy Daniels?
SANDERS: I don’t have anything for you on that.
May 2, 2018
Freshly hired Trump attorney Rudy Giuliani appears on Fox News with Sean Hannity.
“Some time after the campaign is over, they set up a reimbursement, $35,000 a month, out of his personal family account,” Mr. Giuliani said. He added that over all, Mr. Cohen was paid $460,000 or $470,000 from Mr. Trump through those payments, which also included money for “incidental expenses” that he had incurred on Mr. Trump’s behalf.