Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Catch up on the day's biggest business stories
Subscribe to Axios Closer for insights into the day’s business news and trends and why they matter
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Want a daily digest of the top Nashville news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Nashville newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Columbus news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Columbus newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Dallas news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Dallas newsletter.
Sign up for Axios NW Arkansas
Stay up-to-date on the most important and interesting stories affecting NW Arkansas, authored by local reporters
Adult-film actress Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels. Photo: Hector Retamal /AFP/Getty Images
A federal judge in California tossed out adult film actress Stormy Daniel's lawsuit on Thursday against President Trump to invalidate the $130,000 nondisclosure agreement she signed in Oct. 2016 demanding she keep quiet about her alleged affair with Trump ahead of the 2016 election.
Details: U.S. District Court Judge S. James Otero said the case should be sent back to the California Superior Court where it was initially filed, and that it "lacks subject matter jurisdiction," CNN reported.
The backdrop: Former Trump attorney Michael Cohen, who set up the payment, admitted in federal court that Daniels received the money in exchange for her silence. But Trump denied the alleged 2006 affair.
- As the case played out in court, Cohen and Trump agreed with Daniels that the nondisclosure agreement would not be enforced. However, Daniels and her attorney, Michael Avenatti, asked the court to rule that the agreement was illegal. They also sought legal fees in the case and a sworn testimony from Trump and Cohen.
What they're saying: Avenatti declared victory in a tweet Thursday night, saying that by dismissing the case, the judge eventually gave his client "everything she asked for in the lawsuit — she won." But he didn't mention the broader goal of the case.
- Daniels tweeted: "More than a year ago when I was being threatened with a 20 million lawsuit, I asked a judge to toss out this illegal NDA. Glad I stood my ground & kept fighting."
- Trump attorney Charles Harder called Otero's ruling a "total victory" for the president, per the AP.