In 2006, before engaging in sexual relations with adult film star Stormy Daniels, Donald Trump commented that she reminded him of his daughter, Ivanka Trump, according to Daniels’ testimony during Trump’s hush money trial in New York. Daniels shared these details on Tuesday while recounting their meeting and subsequent encounter.
The incident, which took place in July 2006, a year after Trump married Melania Trump, occurred following a charity golf tournament in Lake Tahoe where they initially met. According to Daniels, Trump invited her to dinner with the prospect of possibly appearing on his reality TV show, “The Apprentice.” However, she had reservations about her business skills, recalling that Trump said, “You remind me of my daughter. Smart, blond, and beautiful. And people underestimate her as well.”
Despite her initial hesitation, Daniels agreed to dinner with Trump after her friend suggested that it could be a good story. The dinner eventually led to Trump’s penthouse suite at Harrah’s, which Daniels described as “three times the size of my apartment.” Following this encounter, Daniels received a payment of $130,000 from Trump’s then-attorney Michael Cohen in 2016 to keep quiet about their interaction while Trump was running for president.
Trump later reimbursed Cohen through monthly payments in 2017, while he was president. These payments, labeled as legal expenses, form part of the Manhattan prosecutors’ case against Trump, arguing that the transactions were intended to conceal payments meant to influence the 2016 election. Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records, to which he has pleaded not guilty.
Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model, also received hush money payments after an alleged affair with Trump and has mentioned being compared to Ivanka by Trump, reinforcing Daniels’ testimony. Speaking on Anderson Cooper 360, McDougal said Trump was proud of Ivanka, and he mentioned the resemblance between her and McDougal in terms of beauty and intelligence.
