In a dramatic moment during Donald Trump’s hush money trial, former White House communications aide Hope Hicks broke down in tears while testifying about the Access Hollywood tape that threatened Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. Hicks was visibly emotional as she recalled the shock of the tape and how she coordinated the campaign’s response to media inquiries about it. The tape, in which Trump is heard bragging about sexual misconduct, became a significant piece of evidence in the case against him.
Hicks testified that she was very concerned when she received an email from The Washington Post seeking comment on the tape just weeks before Election Day. She notified other campaign leaders and advised them to “deny, deny, deny” until they could hear the tape for themselves. Trump, upon reading the transcript of the tape, remarked, “That doesn’t sound like something I would say,” according to Hicks. The tape, along with the hush money payments made to Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal, are central to the charges of falsifying records that Trump faces in the trial.
Hicks, who has deep ties to Trump’s business and political circles, worked for the Trump Organization before joining his campaign in 2015 as press secretary. She remained with Trump throughout his four years in office but testified that she has not spoken to him since 2022. Hicks’ testimony follows that of other witnesses, including attorney Keith Davidson, who negotiated the hush money deals with Daniels and McDougal. Trump faces multiple counts of falsifying business records related to these payments, with prosecutors alleging that he unlawfully tried to influence the election by suppressing damaging information.
During the trial, Judge Juan Merchan held a hearing on whether Trump violated the gag order by discussing jurors or witnesses. Trump had already been found in criminal contempt nine times for similar violations and was fined $9,000. Prosecutors flagged four more alleged violations by Trump but stated they were not seeking to incarcerate him. Davidson’s testimony shed light on the behind-the-scenes negotiations with the National Enquirer and Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen in crafting the hush money deals, highlighting the murky world of tabloid journalism and its role in political campaigns.
Prosecutors called Douglas Daus, a forensic analyst for the Manhattan District Attorney’s office, to detail his findings from Cohen’s phone. Jurors heard a recording of Trump instructing Cohen to “pay with cash” in relation to the hush money payments made to McDougal. The payments were part of an alleged “catch and kill” scheme orchestrated by Pecker’s company to bury the story. Davidson’s testimony revealed the level of cooperation between tabloids like the National Enquirer and Trump’s associates in handling damaging information during the election. The trial continues as the prosecution presents its case against Trump for falsifying records in connection to the hush money payments.
