"Guess some things never change"— Netizens react to Trump allegedly trying to pay hush money again to Stormy Daniels before election

Donald Trump has reportedly tried to pay hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the presidential elections in November. Daniels previously claimed that the Republican leader paid her to keep quiet about their alleged relationship ahead of the 2016 presidential elections as well.

According to reports by MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, Trump's attorneys allegedly sent an offer to Stormy Daniels. This stated that the defamation money she owed the Republican would be lowered if the film star would not make any “defamatory or disparaging statements” about him ahead of the elections in November. Maddow claimed to have received emails and calls about the alleged offer.

Earlier this year, in May, a jury convicted Donald Trump on 34 felony charges for falsifying business records related to his payments to Stormy Daniels. The former president, however, has denied having any relationship with the adult film star.

Netizens on X reacted to the latest reports of the Republican allegedly offering hush money to Daniels once again ahead of the 2024 elections. One X user wrote:

"Guess some things never change – it’s the same playbook, just a different chapter."

Several other netizens expressed their take on the whole situation.

"Man has no shame, only fascist hate in his veins," a user opined.

"Hahaha. Back to Stormy Daniels when nothing else is working," another fan added.

Meanwhile, netizens continued to criticize the Republican, with many questioning his ability to run a country.

"What ???? Trump has so many hidden messes, we don’t need a leader who can’t even run his own life!!!!!," a person noted.

"If you gotta make another hush money deal when the first one didn’t work, you gotta be the stupidest dipsh*t on the planet," a user criticized.

"I’ll get my popcorn ready on 11/6 when it’s time to cook him legally," a fan mentioned.

The MAGA leader's sentencing from the May trial was originally scheduled for September 18. However, it has now been postponed and is set to take place on November 26, weeks after the 2024 presidential elections.

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Donald Trump convicted of 34 felony counts for falsifying business records related to Stormy Daniels' payments

The Republican leader was convicted of 34 counts for falsifying business records (Image via Getty)

In 2016, Donald Trump's then-attorney, Michael Cohen, reportedly paid $130,000 in hush money to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to remain quiet about an alleged relationship with the former president ten years ago. The payment was made just before Trump began his campaign for the presidency for the first time.

In 2024, the former President was charged with 34 counts of fraud related to hush money payments made to Daniels. According to Cohen, he did pay the aforementioned $130,000 to Daniels as per instruction. However, he was assured that he would be paid back.

It is worth noting that hush money payments are not illegal. However, the Manhattan District Attorney's Office claimed that the MAGA leader committed a crime by falsely recording these payments. He was also accused of falsifying business papers to conceal a second crime. Ultimately, he was charged with 34 counts of felony and found guilty of them all in May 2024.

Apart from the criminal case, Stormy Daniels sued him for defamation in 2018. However, Daniels lost the case and was reportedly required to pay the former president's legal fees.

Now, ahead of the November elections, journalist Rachel Maddow reported obtaining a letter dated July 1 in which the MAGA leader's lawyers told Daniels:

“We disagree that a payment of $620,000 would be in full satisfaction of the three judgments. However, we can agree to settle these matters for $620,000, provided that your client agrees in writing to make no public or private statements related to any alleged past interactions with President Trump, or defamatory or disparaging statements about him, his businesses and/or any affiliates or his suitability as a candidate for President.”

Maddow alleged that she got a call from Daniels' lawyers, who confirmed to her that Trump's attorneys are “apparently planning to launder the new hush money payment to Stormy Daniels through the payment of a legal judgment.” She added:

"They would pretend that Stormy Daniels owed less money to Trump than they actually believed she owed if she also signed an agreement to not talk about Trump."

As per MSNBC, Stormy Daniels allegedly turned down the deal but settled it for $627,500. Trump's spokesperson, Steven Cheung, commented on the matter, telling NBC that the “purported documents were attained as part of an illegal foreign hacking attack" against the Republican and his team.

As reported by The Tribune on October 14, the Republican's lawyers moved to transfer the case involving hush money payments to Daniels to the federal court. They reportedly argued that he cannot be prosecuted for official actions taken during office.

As per the team, the jurors had improperly ruled the MAGA leader's official acts taken as President for the hush money case. They also claimed that the state charges intruded on his authority as president per the US Constitution.