The attorney for Stormy Daniels accused President Donald Trump's legal team Thursday of "engaging in thuggish behavior."
Attorneys defending Trump and his personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, filed a lawsuit last week alleging Daniels violated a nondisclosure agreement "as many as 20 times," and could owe in excess of $20 million as a result.
"Now we have a sitting US president, Chris, who is threatening to sue a private citizen for over $20 million for talking about their relationship," Michael Avenatti told CNN's Chris Cuomo on "New Day." "It's remarkable. I don't think it's ever occurred in the history of the United States."
Avenatti went on to criticize Trump's legal team, led by Cohen, for "engaging in thuggish behavior, threats, intimidation, and hiding the money trail."
He did not elaborate further. On "New Day" last week, Avenatti alleged that Daniels was "physically threatened" to stay silent about her alleged relationship with Trump, but he would not answer if it was someone close to the President who threatened her, and later told CNN he wouldn't answer a question about whether he or Daniels filed a police report.
Attorneys for Trump and Cohen did not respond to CNN's requests for comment last week on the allegations, and White House press secretary Sarah Sanders said she had "no knowledge" of the Daniels situation.
"Ultimately, we're going to ensure the facts are known to the American people," Avenatti said Thursday. Daniels is scheduled to appear on CBS's "60 Minutes" this weekend.
When asked by Cuomo what value there was in having the American people hear Daniels' detail her alleged affair with Trump in a public forum, Avenatti said, "Individuals that are far more powerful than me, far more powerful than my client, they will ultimately determine whether those facts lead to something else, period."
Cohen and the White House have denied the allegations of an affair between Daniels and Trump.
