On the eleventh day of the Donald Trump hush money trial, former campaign press secretary and White House communications director Hope Hicks took the stand, shedding light on the campaign’s turmoil during the “Access Hollywood” tape scandal and Trump’s alleged hush money payments.
Nervous Testimony: Hicks appeared visibly nervous and avoided eye contact with Trump, who sat a few feet away. She spent over two hours answering questions from prosecutors, with Trump often passing notes to his legal team and occasionally glancing at her. When Trump’s attorney cross-examined her, Hicks became emotional and briefly left the stand to regain composure.
“Access Hollywood” Tape Fallout: Hicks detailed the chaotic response to the 2016 “Access Hollywood” tape, which featured Trump making lewd comments. She described the atmosphere as a “crisis” and admitted that the campaign strategy was to “deny, deny, deny.” Trump seemed upset after viewing the tape, and Hicks indicated that he was worried about his family’s reaction.
Hush Money Allegations: While Hicks didn’t have direct knowledge of the hush money payments, she testified that Trump wanted the news about Michael Cohen’s payment to Stormy Daniels to break in 2018 rather than before the 2020 election. Prosecutors are using her testimony to build their case about the hush money scheme and Trump’s alleged role in falsifying business records.
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Attack on Michael Cohen: Trump’s defense team continued to attack Cohen’s credibility, describing him as “Mr. Fix it” and questioning his reliability. A forensic expert testified about Cohen’s cell phones, and Trump’s attorneys highlighted a four-day lapse between obtaining the phones and when they were analyzed, aiming to cast doubt on the evidence’s integrity.
Judge’s Gag Order Clarification: Judge Juan Merchan reminded Trump that the gag order in place does not prevent him from testifying in court. The order only restricts extrajudicial statements about witnesses or individuals associated with the trial. Trump has repeatedly claimed that the gag order prevents him from speaking publicly, but the judge clarified that it doesn’t impact his ability to take the stand.
Next Steps: As the trial resumes on Monday, prosecutors are expected to call more witnesses, including White House aides, Trump Organization employees, Daniels, and Cohen. The case centers on Trump’s alleged 34 counts of falsifying business records and his role in the hush money payments to Daniels before the 2016 election.
