Donald Trump repaid lawyer hush money

Donald Trump (right) with former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani

US President Donald Trump confirmed yesterday that he reimbursed his personal lawyer the $130,000 he had given to adult film star Stormy Daniels days before the 2016 election to buy her silence over an alleged affair with the then presidential candidate.

Trump's confirmation came hours after his new legal aide and former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani revealed that the president had personally repaid Michael Cohen the $130,000 that was used to buy Daniels's silence through a non-disclosure agreement.

Stormy Daniels. Pics/AFP

In a tweet, Trump, 71, said his personal attorney, Cohen, was paid via a monthly retainer and that the hush agreement into which Cohen entered with Daniels had "nothing to do with the campaign." "The agreement was used to stop the false and extortionist accusations made by her about an affair despite already having signed a detailed letter admitting that there was no affair," Trump said.

The President had previously denied knowledge of the payment, which has prompted complaints to the Justice Department and Federal Election Commission over potential violations of campaign finance law.

Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, claims she had an affair with Trump in 2006 and was paid the sum as part of a "hush agreement". "They funneled it through a law firm and the president repaid it," Giuliani, who recently joined Trump's legal team, told Fox News host Sean Hannity. He added that the payment did not represent a campaign financing violation because it was "not campaign money."