Former White House communications director and close Donald Trump aide Hope Hicks provided a detailed and at times emotional testimony in the ongoing hush money trial of the former president. Hicks, subpoenaed by prosecutors, recounted the political turmoil that engulfed Trump’s 2016 campaign following the release of the “Access Hollywood” tape.
Hicks described being “stunned” upon learning about the existence of the tape from a Washington Post reporter. “I had a good sense to believe this was going to be a massive story and that it was going to dominate the news cycle for the next several days,” Hicks testified. “This was a damaging development. This was just pulling us backwards in a way that was going to be hard to overcome.”
The testimony sought to connect the dots between the release of the tape and the subsequent payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to prevent her story from going public, potentially jeopardizing Trump’s bid for the presidency.
Hicks said she didn’t learn about the payments to McDougal and Daniels until Nov. 4, 2016, when she received an inquiry from a reporter from the Wall Street Journal asking questions about McDougal and the National Enquirer. She said she forwarded the email to Jared Kushner, Trump’s son in law. “He had a very good relationship with Rupert Murdoch and I was hoping he could buy a little time for us to deal with this,” she said, referring to the Journal’s owner. Kushner said he wouldn’t be able to reach him, according to Hicks.
Throughout her testimony, Hicks spoke of Trump in reverent terms, describing him as a “very good multitasker, a very hard worker,” while also acknowledging her own nervousness on the stand. “I was really nervous,” Hicks admitted when she began her testimony, referring to her former boss as “Mr. Trump” and disclosing that she last communicated with him in late 2022.
Trump’s defense team emphasized their position that the hush money payments were meant to protect Trump’s reputation and family rather than his campaign. They have suggested that instead of concealing an affair, Trump was actually the victim of extortion.
Trump, who has maintained his innocence across all charges, has pleaded not guilty to the 34 counts of falsifying internal Trump Organization business records, which prosecutors assert were actually reimbursements to Cohen for the $130,000 hush money payment to Daniels.
Relevant articles:
– Trump hush money trial: Hope Hicks recounts political firestorm in 2016 , The Associated Press, 05/04/2024
– Live updates: Hope Hicks testifies in Donald Trump’s hush money trial, CNN, 05/03/2024
– Hush money trial highlights: Former Trump senior aide Hope Hicks takes the witness stand, NBC News, 05/03/2024
– Hope Hicks testifies at Trump trial about fallout from “hush money” payments, CBS News, 05/03/2024