Hope Hicks, the former communications director for Donald Trump, testified at his criminal trial on May 3rd about how the ex-president, 77, responded to news reports regarding allegations of extramarital sexual encounters and his attempts to conceal them.
Throughout her testimony, the public relations executive and political advisor, 35, displayed nervousness and even broke down in tears at one point, as CBS News and other outlets reported. On the stand, Hicks spoke quietly and even said: “I’m really nervous.”
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Hope Hicks Nervously Cries At Donald Trump's Criminal Trial During Her Testimony: Takeaways
As Trump's top press aide during his 2016 campaign and later as White House communications director, Hicks shared her experiences of how she and others in Trump's inner circle managed the fallout from "hush money" payments that were made to two women prior to the election.
Before this, David Pecker, the ex-publisher of the National Enquirer, gave his own testimony, stating that Hicks had been "in and out" and attended a Trump Tower meeting in 2015 on multiple occasions.
The meeting in question involved Trump, Pecker and the former president's then-attorney Michael Cohen. Allegedly, during the meeting, the trio planned to suppress news stories about Trump through a technique now frequently deemed as "catch and kill."
Hicks ultimately admitted to being uninformed about the arrangements made in 2016 to compensate former Playboy model Karen McDougal and adult film star Stormy Daniels for keeping quiet regarding their alleged sexual encounters with Trump.
Hicks also testified that it wasn't until November 4th, when she was approached by a journalist from the Wall Street Journal with inquiries regarding McDougal, who had received a sum of $150,000 from the Enquirer's parent organization - that she first became aware of the payments.
Hicks was also notably present for a crucial event during the 2016 campaign, namely the release of the infamous "Access Hollywood" tape. This recording from 2005 captured Trump uttering derogatory remarks about women, stating that he could "grab [them] by the p—y" and exert complete control over them.
On October 7, 2016, the Washington Post released the tape, mere weeks before Election Day. During her testimony, Hicks recounted discovering the tape shortly before its publication and described feeling somewhat taken aback and "a little stunned" by it.
The next day, Daniels' lawyer informed the Enquirer's editor that his client was prepared to make a claim that she engaged in sexual activity with Trump back in 2006.
Facing charges for 34 counts of falsifying business records, Trump has pleaded not guilty and vehemently denies any sexual relations with McDougal, 53, or Daniels, 45.
Overall, throughout her testimony, Hicks, Trump's former spokeswoman and a devoted aide, displayed emotional reactions as she tried to depict a man heavily engaged in his campaign's messaging tactics and worried about unsavory tales making their way into the public arena.
Prosecutors in New York are endeavoring to construct a case indicating that Trump and his advisers were apprehensive about the possible negative impact of the aforementioned reports on their political image, leading them to attempt to suppress them.
