Hope Hicks, a former White House official and longtime advisor to Donald Trump, testified on Friday at his hush money trial, revealing the extent of worry and chaos within Trump’s 2016 campaign after the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape was released.
Hicks was called to testify by prosecutors in hopes of strengthening their argument that the release of the tape, in which Trump is heard bragging about sexually assaulting women without their consent, led to his then-lawyer, Michael Cohen, paying off adult film actress Stormy Daniels to keep her quiet about an alleged affair with Trump. The prosecutors aim to show that Trump’s actions were not just to protect his personal image, but also to influence the 2016 presidential election.
As one of Trump’s closest confidants, Hicks provided jurors with insight into the chaos that ensued after the tape’s release just days before a crucial debate with Hillary Clinton. She described being stunned and huddling with other Trump advisors after learning about the tape from a Washington Post reporter. Hicks also revealed that she advised campaign leadership to “deny, deny, deny” the tape’s existence.
“It was clear to me that this was going to be a massive story and dominate the news cycle for the next several days,” Hicks testified. “This was a damaging development that set us back and would be hard to overcome.”
Hicks also testified that Trump’s primary concern was the impact the tape would have on his family. “I don’t think he wanted anyone in his family to be hurt or embarrassed by anything happening in the campaign,” she said.
Hicks’ testimony sheds light on the extent to which the release of the tape affected the 2016 campaign. It also highlights the lengths to which Trump went to protect his personal image and family, rather than his campaign.
Despite Trump’s denial of any wrongdoing, the prosecution has presented a strong case with detailed evidence of meetings, email exchanges, business transactions, and bank accounts, all in an effort to prove that Trump falsified internal Trump Organization records. They are also setting the stage for Cohen’s pivotal testimony, as he was the one who paid off Daniels for her silence before going to prison for the hush money scheme.
One of the crucial pieces of evidence presented this week was a recording of a meeting between Trump and Cohen just before the 2016 election, in which they discussed a plan to purchase the rights to former Playboy model Karen McDougal’s story of an alleged affair with Trump. The National Enquirer had previously bought McDougal’s story to bury it on Trump’s behalf.
In the recording, Trump can be heard asking, “What do we got to pay for this? One-fifty?” This conversation shows Trump’s involvement and knowledge of the hush money scheme, further strengthening the prosecution’s case.
Throughout her testimony, Hicks remained composed despite being visibly nervous. Her close relationship with Trump has made her a figure of interest for multiple investigations, including those related to Russia’s interference in the 2016 election and the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Hicks’ testimony also revealed her loyalty to Trump, as she referred to him as “Mr. Trump” and spoke highly of him. She also shared how the political firestorm caused by the tape’s release overshadowed a Category 4 hurricane that was heading towards the East Coast. “I don’t think anybody remembers where that hurricane hit,” Hicks told the jurors.
In the aftermath of the tape’s release, Hicks asked Cohen to chase down a rumor of another potentially damaging tape. She wanted to be proactive and ensure that nobody would be “blindsided.” However, there ended up being no such tape.
Just four days before the election, Hicks received a request for comment from a Wall Street Journal reporter about a story regarding American Media Inc. buying the rights to Karen McDougal’s story. Hicks immediately reached out to Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, for help in delaying the story. However, Kushner was unable to reach out to Rupert Murdoch, the owner of the Journal’s parent company, in time.
Hicks’ testimony is set to continue on Monday, and the trial is expected to last for another month or more. The judge also denied a request by prosecutors to ask Trump, should he choose to testify, about being held in contempt of court for violating the gag order in the case. The judge stated that it would be “very difficult” for the jury to look past such information,
