President Trump believes porn star Stormy Daniels’ claims she had an extramarital affair are part of “political hoax,” according to a personal friend of the president.
“I can’t tell you everything he’s thinking. I can only tell you what he told me. He said he thought that much of the Stormy Daniels stuff was a political hoax. Again, those were his words,” Christopher Ruddy, a Trump confidant, told ABC’s “This Week” Sunday.
Ruddy, who is also CEO of Newsmax Media, said he too had questions regarding who is funding the adult film star’s “tremendous public relations effort,” as well as why she hired a “political hit Democratic attorney.”
“This is politically motivated to hurt and embarrass him in some way, and you know what? [At] the end of the day, the poll numbers for the president are up,” he said. “I think the American people are really dismissing this as political witch hunts.”
According to the RealClearPolitics average of polls, Trump’s approval ratings among voters have gone up from about 39 percent to about 41 percent since the story broke in January.
Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, is expected to appear on CBS’ “60 Minutes” program Sunday.
Her appearance follows an interview with former Playboy model Karen McDougal broadcast by CNN earlier in March, in which McDougal detailed her alleged affair with Trump shortly after his wedding to Melania Trump.
