US president, Trump paid $130,000 to a porn star

U S president, Donald Trump may resign in disgrace over new revelations involving the president's hush-money payment to a porn star.

Earlier this morning, Trump claimed that a $130,000 hush-money payment to a porn star who claims to have been his mistress was an ordinary legal expense – part of the costs covered by a monthly retainer agreement between him and his longtime lawyer.

Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City mayor who is now serving as a Trump legal adviser, revealed Wednesday night that Trump repaid Cohen – but didn't address the president's April 5 statement aboard Air Force One that he knew nothing about it.

He said Thursday on 'Fox & Friends' that Cohen's payment to Clifford 'wasn't for the campaign. It was to save their marriage,' referring to Donald and Melania Trump. 'I think he was trying to help the family. And for that, the man is being treated like some kind of villain.'

But in the same interview, he suggested that a bombshell claim from Daniels would have disastrous consequences for the president's political prospects. 

Cohen has said that he took out the $130,000 from his home equity line of credit to make the payment. And Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on April 5 that 'no,' he had no knowledge of the financial arrangement with Daniels.

He has claimed that Cohen made the payment on his own.

Cohen faces a criminal probe into his business affairs by federal prosecutors in Manhattan, including over the $130,000 payment, which he has called legal.  

Daniels has since sued Trump and Cohen claiming that the non-disclosure agreement she signed was invalid. 

Appearing Thursday morning on 'Fox & Friends,' Giuliani called Avenatti and Daniels 'stick-up artists' who are looking for a seven-figure payday.

He reacted to news that Avenatti had approached MSNBC with an idea for a legal program starring himself: 'The TV show he could get is – well, "Ambulance Chaser".'

And Giuliani reiterated that Trump 'didn't know the details of this until we knew the details of it, which was a couple weeks ago. Maybe not even a couple, maybe 10 days ago.'

White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said on Fox News just minutes after Giuliani's appearance Thursday that she wouldn't expand on his explanation.

Giuliani told Hannity that the $130,000 payment was 'a very regular thing for lawyers to do.'

EXCLUSIVE: @MichaelAvenatti responds to Rudy Giuliani claiming Trump repaid Stormy Daniels hush money. pic.twitter.com/d56nAQVKoS

— The Last Word (@TheLastWord) May 3, 2018

Daniels claims she had intercourse with Trump one time, in 2006, and they kept in touch afterward on the promise that he would try to secure her a spot as a contestant on his reality TV show, The Apprentice. 

Trump has denied the affair and previously denied having knowledge of the payment Cohen made to Daniels in exchange for her silence.'

Avenatti said Wednesday evening that Trump 'evidently has participated in a felony and there must be serious consequences for his conduct and his lies and deception to the American people.'

He again predicted that Trump will not make it until the end of his first term as a result of the dishonesty.

Avanatti in a Wednesday evening tweet doubled down, saying, 'We predicted months ago that it would be proven that the American people had been lied to as to the $130k payment and what Mr. Trump knew, when he knew it and what he did in

The revelations by Giuliani on Fox News became extra difficult for the White House to defend after he told The Washington Post that he spoke with Trump late Wednesday and that the president approved of his interview.