Updated
US President Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, has demanded Stormy Daniels "cease and desist" after the adult-film star said in a television interview she was threatened with violence to stay silent about her alleged affair with Mr Trump.
- In a 60 Minutes interview Stormy Daniels implied Donald Trump's lawyer, Michael Cohen, was behind a threat of harm made by a stranger in 2011
- In a letter to Ms Daniels' attorney Mr Cohen, says he "had absolutely noting whatsoever to do" with the alleged incident
- Ms Daniels has filed a lawsuit for defamation against Mr Cohen
"Mr Cohen had absolutely nothing whatsoever to do with any such person or incident, and does not even believe that any such person exists, or that such incident ever occurred," the letter sent to Ms Daniels' lawyer by Mr Cohen's attorney said.
A copy of the letter was viewed by Reuters.
Ms Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, had implied Mr Cohen was behind the threat of harm if she did not "leave Trump alone" which was made by a stranger in a Las Vegas parking lot in 2011.
The letter also demanded "that you immediately retract and apologise to Mr Cohen through the national media for your defamatory statements", requesting that she clarify she has "no facts or evidence whatsoever" to support her allegations.
Ms Daniels has since filed a lawsuit for defamation against Mr Cohen and is demanding a jury trial.
Ms Daniels sued the President on March 6, stating Mr Trump never signed an agreement for her to keep quiet about an "intimate" relationship between them.
The White House and Mr Cohen have both denied Mr Trump had an affair with Ms Daniels.
Speaking after the interview aired on Monday (local time) White House spokesman Raj Shah said, "The President doesn't believe any of the claims Ms Daniels made in the interview last night were accurate."
Mr Shah, asked if Mr Trump believed Ms Daniels was threatened, said, "No, he does not."
"There's nothing to corroborate her claim," Mr Shah said.
Ms Daniels' lawyer Michael Avenatti spoke with major news and broadcast network outlets on Monday morning after the interview was broadcast.
In an interview with NBC, he said the man who threatened Ms Daniels while she was with her infant daughter was not Mr Cohen but that "it had to be someone that is related to Mr Trump or Mr Cohen."
Asked about the cease-and-desist letter on CNN, Mr Avenatti said Mr Cohen "needs to stop hiding behind pieces of paper and come clean with the American public."
Reuters
Topics: world-politics, donald-trump, law-crime-and-justice, united-states
First posted