WASHINGTON — President Trump acknowledged a $130,000 payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels on Thursday, but said a non-disclosure agreement was "used to stop the false and extortionist accusations made by her about an affair."
Contradicting previous denials that he knew about any sort of payment, Trump tweeted that these agreements are "very common among celebrities and people of wealth."
The president also tweeted that campaign funds "played no roll in this transaction," misspelling the term "role."
Trump's revelation on Twitter came the morning after his attorney, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, said the president repaid his personal attorney Michael Cohen for money given to Daniels.
Giuliani, appearing Thursday on Fox & Friends, to discuss the non-disclosure agreement, said: “Imagine if that came out on October 15, 2016, in the middle of the last debate with Hillary Clinton?"
Daniels' attorney Michael Avenatti, meanwhile, took to Twitter to mock both Trump and Giuliani for helping his client make her case.
"Whatever happens @foxandfriends, please do not stop helping our case week in and week out by having Mr. Trump and Mr. Giuliani appear and make damaging stmts," Avenatti tweeted. "You are truly THE BEST; where can we send the gift basket? #basta"
The non-disclosure agreement and the secret payment came just days before the 2016 presidential election that Trump won.
In his tweet storm, Trump said Cohen was paid a monthly retainer, and that money was used to enter into the non-disclosure agreement with Daniels.
"The agreement was used to stop the false and extortionist accusations made by her about an affair, despite already having signed a detailed letter admitting that there was no affair," Trump tweeted.
The president's tweets contained legalese and showed signs of assistance from a lawyer.
The tweets mark a changed story for Trump.
Back on April 5, he denied knowing about the $130,000 payment to Daniels, telling reporters aboard Air Force One: "You’ll have to ask Michael Cohen. Michael is my attorney. You’ll have to ask Michael."
After Giuliani discussed the payments on Fox News, Avenatti called the new admission "a stunning revelation."
"Mr. 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," Avenatti told the Associated Press.
Avenatti told MSNBC that Giuliani confirmed that Trump and his team have been lying about the agreement with Daniels.
"This is consistent with what we have been saying now for months," Avenatti said. "It ultimately was going to be proven, it ultimately was going to come out, we just didn't know that Rudy Giuliani was going to go on the Sean Hannity show and admit it on national television."
Daniels, who says she had a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006, filed a lawsuit against the president Monday, saying Trump defamed her when he described her claim as a "con job."
Daniels is also suing Cohen, but a federal judge granted a 90-day delay in that lawsuit last week due to concerns that Cohen may face criminal charges after FBI agents raided his home, hotel room and law offices as part of a fraud investigation.
Avenatti, appearing again Thursday on MSNBC, made a stark prediction about Trump's future: “This president will not serve out his time. I guarantee it."
