Donald Trump acknowledged that he reimbursed his lawyer for a $130,000 payment to an adult film star to ensure her silence over an alleged affair, contradicting his early statements that he knew nothing of the hush money.
The US president originally told reporters in April he had been unaware of the payment by attorney Michael Cohen to Stephanie Clifford, stage named Stormy Daniels, before the 2016 election.
However, Mr Trump wrote on Twitter yesterday that Mr Cohen had entered into a non-disclosure agreement with Ms Clifford to “stop the false and extortionist accusations made by her about an affair”. Such agreements, the president added, are “very common among celebrities and people of wealth”.