Former US president Donald Trump on Thursday was indicted over hush money payments to an adult film actress to avoid a scandal ahead of the 2016 US election, making him the first former US president to face criminal charges. The lawyer for porn star Stormy Daniels has welcomed the indictment, saying that "no one is above the law."
In a tweet, Stormy Daniels thanked people for the "support and love" extended to her. "I have so many messages coming in that I can't respond...also don't want to spill my champagne#Teamstormy merch/autograph orders are pouring in, too! Thank you for that as well but allow a few extra days for shipment," she tweeted.
Trump denies all wrongdoing in connection with the payments made ahead of the election that sent him to the White House.
"This is Political Persecution and Election Interference at the highest level in history," the 76-year-old Republican said in a statement released within minutes of the indictment news breaking.
"Even before I was sworn in as your President of the United States, the Radical Left Democrats -- the enemy of the hard-working men and women of this Country -- have been engaged in a Witch-Hunt," he said.
The former US President also took to social media soon after his indictment.
In her 2018 tell-all book, Daniels said that she had dinner with "The Apprentice" star in his penthouse. They proceeded to have what "may have been the least impressive sex I'd ever had," she wrote.
Trump has denied they ever had sex and has accused Daniels of "extortion" and a "total con job."
Trump's personal lawyer Michael Cohen has acknowledged arranging a $130,000 "hush money" payment to Daniels in exchange for her silence about the 2006 tryst.
The payment was revealed by The Wall Street Journal in January 2018 and forms the basis for the charges Trump has been indicted for.
