clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Lady and the Trump

The Stormy Daniels saga, explained in a podcast.

Stephanie Clifford, who uses the stage name Stormy Daniels, arrives to perform at Solid Gold Fort Lauderdale in Pompano Beach, Florida, on March 9, 2018.
Stormy Daniels.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images

Over the past few weeks, the name Stormy Daniels has made constant appearances in the news. Daniels, an adult film star whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, claims to have had a year-long affair with Donald Trump beginning shortly after his wife, Melania, gave birth to their son Barron in 2006. The White House has denied the affair ever happened — despite mounting evidence of a nondisclosure agreement and a $130,000 payout — but the story has snowballed into an investigation of potential misuse of campaign funds.

“The coverage of this story has been very focused on this as a sex scandal,” explains Laura McGann, Vox’s politics editor. “But it’s a story about campaign finance, corruption, and how our politics are changing under Donald Trump. Yes, the main character is an adult film actress, but it’s bigger than that.”

Listen to the episode of Today, Explained all about Stormy Daniels — where she came from, why her story matters, and more — below.

Related reading:

How do I get even more Today, Explained?

You can get the news we’re reading throughout the day, facts and stats to make you smarter about the world, and behind-the-scenes photos on Twitter at @Today_Explained. You can follow Sean at @Rameswaram and Laura McGann at @LKMcgann.

How do I report a problem?

For all issues or feedback, please email todayexplained@vox.com.

How do I listen?

If you don’t see the player above, you can listen, subscribe, and review Today, Explained on Stitcher, Apple Podcasts, and Google Play Music.

What if I want to listen at home?

If you have Amazon Echo, add Today, Explained to your flash briefing. If you have Google Home, just say, “Hey Google, play the Today, Explained podcast!”

Sign up for the newsletter Sign up for Vox Recommends

Get curated picks of the best Vox journalism to read, watch, and listen to every week, from our editors.