Welcome to the beat. I am Ari Melbren. Today is the day. Act

Stormy Daniels taking the stand against defendant Trump for the first time ever.

She's a key witness in this trial and his lawyers have argued that she's lying.

That there would be no validity to her story or

her potential history with Trump.

So prosecutors had an important goal here today, showing the jury that she's believable,

that she's telling the truth, that the facts are on her side

and while defendant Trump is not on trial for lying about the underlying

encounter that itself would not be a crime and is not charged

they want to use the DA this testimony to show that this was part of the first of many lies by Trump, some of which prosecutors argue are crimes.

This is Daniel's first ever time under oath in this kind of proceeding.

Her chance to be heard in a legal process that has spanned years and that has often said

had involved many claims about her at the center of this scandal.

Donald Trump's personal attorney paid a porn star named Stormy Daniels

to keep quiet about her alleged relationship with a Republican candidate for president.

The former president accused of paying $130,000 in hush money to Stormy Daniels.

Daniels, of course, is at the center of this entire case.

Stormy Daniels became a household name for shaking the corridors of power with.

Everybody wants to hear what Stormy Daniels will say.

Ribbiting, bombshell, sometimes icky, testimony from the woman at the heart of the first ever criminal

trial of an American ex-president.

As our colleague Nicole put it there, riveting, bombshell, and Icky all at once.

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