Donald Trump, the former president of the United States, has been facing allegations of hush money payments made during his 2016 presidential campaign. These payments were allegedly made to cover up potential scandals and boost his chances of winning the election.
June 16, 2015: Trump Announces Candidacy
In June 2015, Donald Trump announced his candidacy for president.
August 2015: Meeting with David Pecker
In August 2015, Trump met with David Pecker, the chairman and CEO of American Media Inc., at Trump Tower in New York. Pecker agreed to help Trump’s campaign by suppressing negative stories and publishing negative stories about his competitors.
October/November 2015: Deal with Former Trump Tower Doorman
In October or November 2015, it was discovered that a former Trump Tower doorman was trying to sell information about Trump allegedly fathering a child out of wedlock. American Media Inc. (AMI) negotiated a deal with the doorman to acquire exclusive rights to the story for ,000.
June 2016: Payment to Playboy Model Karen McDougal
In June 2016, it was revealed that Playboy model Karen McDougal alleged she had a sexual relationship with Trump while he was married. AMI paid McDougal ,000 to keep her quiet about the alleged affair.
September 2016: Audio Recording
In September 2016, an audio recording was allegedly made of a conversation between Trump and his lawyer, Michael Cohen, discussing how to obtain the rights to McDougal’s story from AMI and reimburse them for the payment.
October 7, 2016: “Access Hollywood” Tape
On October 7, 2016, a recording from 2015 was released where Trump made derogatory comments about women. This tape was damaging to Trump’s campaign, and both he and his staff were concerned about its impact on his candidacy.
October 10, 2016: Stormy Daniels Allegations
In October 10, 2016, it was reported that adult film actress Stormy Daniels alleged she had a sexual encounter with Trump. This was another potential scandal that Trump’s campaign was worried about.
Despite these allegations and scandals, Trump has denied any wrongdoing and pleaded not guilty to all charges related to the hush money payments. The timeline of events provides insight into the series of events that unfolded during his 2016 presidential campaign.
