Stormy Daniels' ex-lawyer believed Trump was 'going to lose' in 2016; client would 'lose leverage'

Former U.S. President Donald Trump appears in court during his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 2, 2024 in New York City. (Jeenah Moon-Pool/Getty Images)

The ex-lawyer of adult film actress Stormy Daniels testified Thursday that he thought Donald Trump was "going to lose" the 2016 presidential election, and pressed trump's ex-lawyer Michael Cohen to settle the payment before losing "leverage."

During the final rounds of questioning to Daniel's lawyer, Keith Davidson, he admitted he spoke to Cohen, pressing him to settle the $130,000 payment to Daniels to quiet her claims of an alleged extramarital affair she had with Trump in 2006, before the 2016 election. He said Trump "will lose", and subsequently his client would lose her leverage. Trump has denied every having the affair.

That phone call was described as intense and full of expletives. Trump's defense team is hoping to connect that call with Davidson’s alleged pattern of squeezing people for money during vulnerable times.

Earlier this week, Davison testified about his work for another client, former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who has also said she had an affair with Trump. American Media Inc., the parent company of the National Enquirer, paid McDougal $150,000 for the rights to her story as part of a "catch and kill" scheme prosecutors allege was used to bolster Trump's presidential campaign.