Stormy Daniels' lawyer says porn star was physically threatened to remain silent over alleged affair with Trump

Doug Stanglin | USA TODAY

Show Caption Hide Caption Stormy Daniels says she has been 'physically threatened' to be silent The Stormy Daniels saga continues…Stormy Daniels' lawyer says she has been 'physically threatened' to keep silent.

The lawyer for porn star Stormy Daniels said Friday that his client had been "physically threatened" to remain silent over her alleged affair with Donald Trump.

Lawyer Michael Avenatti, appearing on MSNBC's Morning Joe program and CNN's New Day, did not elaborate on who made the alleged threat or whether it occurred before or after she signed a non-disclosure agreement with Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, not to discuss her alleged relationship with Trump.

Trump has denied any sexual relationship with Daniels.

The agreement was signed shortly before the 2016 presidential election. Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, received $130,000 from Cohen after signing the deal.

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Asked by CNN's Chris Cuomo about the allegations of a physical threat against Daniels, Avenatti said it was not an allegation but a fact.

"The fact is that my client was physically threatened to stay silent about what she knew about Donald Trump," he said.

The lawyer said Daniels would discuss the issue on CBS' 60 Minutes in an already taped interview tentatively scheduled for broadcast March 25.

Avenatti said Daniels is "going to provide very specific details about what happened here."

"I am confident that the American people after this interview are going to come away to have little or no doubt that this woman is credible, is telling the truth and knows what she is talking about."

Here is the earlier exchange between Avenatti and Morning Joe co-host Mika Brzezinski regarding the alleged incident:

Brzezinksi: "Was she threatened in any way?"

Avenatti: "Yes."

Brzezinski: "Was she threatened physical harm?

Avenatti: "Yes."

Asked about the report, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Friday that the White House does not condone any threats.

“Obviously we take the safety and security of any person seriously, certainly would condemn anyone threatening any individual,” she said.

She declined to address the alleged threats to Daniels and referred reporters to Trump’s outside legal counsel.

“I have no knowledge of that situation,” she said, adding that she had not spoken to the president about the issue.

Daniels has claimed the alleged affair with Trump began in 2006. Before signing a non-disclosure agreement, the porn actress gave an interview with In-Touch magazine in 2011 that was not published until two months ago.

Daniels has filed suit in California to declare the non-disclosure agreement invalid because Cohen has discussed some aspects of it publicly. She has also agreed to return the $130,000.

Asked why his client is pressing to void the agreement and has begun to speak publicly about the case, Avenatti said Daniels "wants a forum or platform in which she can tell her story, unrestrained and tell the American people not just about the relationship with the president but also the attempts by the president and Mr. Cohen to muzzle her and prevent her from telling her story."

"There's the act and the coverup," Avenatti told MSNBC. "The American people are going to learn about both in the interview and beyond."