Sarah Sanders was asked a simple question by CNN’s Jeff Zeleny on Wednesday afternoon: Did President Donald Trump know that his personal lawyer made a $130,000 payment to silence a porn star alleging that she had engaged in an extramarital affair with Trump?
“Not that I’m aware of,” said the White House press secretary.
Which, as you may have noticed, isn’t “no.”
Now, ask yourself this: If Sanders could have said “no” — flat out — to the question of whether Trump knew that Michael Cohen was making a six-figure payment to keep a porn star saying she had an affair with the President, don’t you think she would have?
OF COURSE SHE WOULD HAVE.
That she didn’t is telling. It’s a hedge, a loophole, a way of answering without answering.
If you didn’t get that message loud and clear, check out this other exchange between Zeleny and Sanders:
ZELENY: Has he talked to Michael Cohen about that this week since this has become news?
SANDERS: I don’t know. I’m not sure.
“I don’t know.” “I’m not sure.”
Again, if Sanders could be definitive, she would be. She isn’t.
Remember, too, that in the lawsuit filed by Daniels on Tuesday night, she claims that Trump knew about both the payment to her and Cohen’s subsequent attempts to ensure her silence — efforts that were as recent as late last month.
The Point: Non answers + serious allegations + $130,000 payment = this Stormy story isn’t going away. President Trump needs to find a better answer — and soon.
Read Wednesday’s full edition of The Point, and sign up to have future editions delivered to your inbox.
