Listening to her testimony in what the media is inaccurately calling the “Hush Money Trial” it is difficult to escape the question of whether Donald Trump used his position of power to rape Stormy Daniels.
In her sworn testimony, she details how he used his physical stature, along with dangling an offer to appear on his popular television show, to force himself upon the then 27-year-old adult film actress.
While the story of the 2007 encounter has been out there for some time, the sordid details were missing. Indeed, Trump’s defense team went to great lengths to exclude as much of the incident as possible with numerous objections. Trump was reported to have hit his attorneys on the arm in order to get them to object to damning or embarrassing testimony.
The judge in the case has tried to curtail the sexual aspects of Stephanie Clifford’s (AKA Stormy Daniels) testimony since the true focus of the allegations is related to fraudulent business practices. However, the information being revealed is certainly relevant, especially when it is connected to the infamous Access Hollywood video.
Even as the judge has recommended that the prosecution move along, the phrase from Trump’s Access Hollywood tape, “I moved on her like a bitch,” certainly mirrors the events of his encounter with Daniels. Daniels describes “blacking out,” which is common when dealing with a traumatic experience, when she emerged from the bathroom to find Trump on the bed dressed in only boxers and a t-shirt. She said that she felt as if she was drugged, but denied that she actually was.
Her testimony described a brief sexual encounter and how she rushed to exit after it was over. She testified that she related the incident to several friends, but only described the sexual aspects to a few close friends. She also described how future encounters with Trump, who would later demean Daniels by calling her “Horseface”, where he tried to initiate another sexual liaison.
The power dynamic Trump used in what his attorneys are calling a “consensual encounter” is al, too familiar. Disgraced Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein has been convicted for using such tactics to force himself onto many unsuspecting actresses. The Access Hollywood tape and Trump’s recent civil conviction are strong indicators that he used the same maneuvers to force himself on Stormy Daniels.
Like many rape victims, Daniels denies she was sexually assaulted. And while the statute of limitations has likely run out, there is still the specter of whether or not there will be a rapist in the White House in 2025.