Trump might be prosecuted in New York for paying porn stars

Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at the Gaylord National Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland, the United States, March 4, 2023.

Evelyn Hockstein Reuters

Prosecutors in New York City have told attorneys for former President Donald Trump that he could face prosecution in connection with a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels on his behalf ahead of the 2016 presidential election, a new report said Thursday.

The New York Times reported that Trump has been offered the opportunity by the Manhattan Attorney’s Office to testify next week before the grand jury, which has been collecting evidence and hearing testimonies for the criminal investigation.

“Such offers almost always indicate that indictment is imminent,” reads the Times article.

The newspaper said its reporters spoke to four people with knowledge of the situation.

Two of Trump’s defense attorneys confirmed to NBC News that he was told by his attorneys that he could appear before the grand jury. Lawyers said such an offer was standard and he had not received a subpoena urging his appearance.

They denied the Times’ reporting that criminal charges could be forthcoming.

Trump’s former personal attorney, Michael Cohen, admitted in 2018 that he paid Daniels $130,000 just before the 2016 election to keep her silent about her claims about a one-off sexual rendezvous with Trump years earlier.

Trump, who is seeking the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, has denied having sex with Daniels. But he refunded Cohen the payment to the adult film actress.

A spokesperson for Trump told NBC News, “The Manhattan District Attorney’s threat to impeach President Trump is just insane.”

“For the last five years, the DA’s office has been witch-hunting investigating every aspect of President Trump’s life and they’ve come up empty-handed at every turn and now this,” the spokesman said.

“The fact that the public prosecutor’s office is even considering a new political attack after their intensive investigations is a clear exoneration of President Trump in all areas. Then, as now, President Trump was a victim of extortion. It’s an embarrassment to Democratic prosecutors, and it’s a disgrace to New York City.”

In addition to investigations by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Trump faces criminal investigations in Atlanta for interference in the 2020 presidential election over his efforts to overturn President Joe Biden’s victory in Georgia.

Trump is also under criminal investigation by the Justice Department for attempting to reverse his electoral college loss to Biden earlier that year and for pressuring then-Vice President Mike Pence to refuse to accept Biden electoral certifications to accept from swing states that have given his opponents the edge of victory.