Former White House Communications Director Hope Hicks took the stand in Manhattan court on Friday to testify in the criminal trial of her ex-boss, Donald Trump. Trump is facing 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, as charged by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg last year. The trial revolves around allegations that a hush-money payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in 2016, at Trump’s direction, violated campaign finance laws.
During her testimony, Hicks, who was a central figure in Trump’s 2016 campaign and subsequent administration, confirmed her awareness of negotiations surrounding a 2015 deal brokered between Trump, former tabloid executive David Pecker, and Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen. Pecker had testified earlier that part of the deal included boosting damaging stories against Trump’s rivals. Hicks revealed that Trump praised the National Enquirer’s hit pieces, including one that accused Dr. Ben Carson of medical malpractice.
Hicks also discussed the infamous Access Hollywood tape, which prosecutors argue was the central scandal that prompted the Trump campaign to try to suppress Daniels’ allegations of an affair with the former president. Hicks expressed her concern upon receiving the transcript of the tape and forwarded it to key Trump campaign members, including Kellyanne Conway, Jason Miller, and Steve Bannon. She testified that Trump dismissed the tape as “locker room talk” and believed it was not a significant issue.
The Access Hollywood tape dominated media coverage leading up to a debate, causing intense scrutiny and sharp statements from Republican leaders such as Paul Ryan, Mitt Romney, and Mitch McConnell. In response, Hicks said she spoke to Cohen about identifying other potentially damaging stories. When news broke about an alleged affair between Trump and former Playboy model Karen McDougal, Hicks reached out to Jared Kushner, who had a relationship with Rupert Murdoch, in an attempt to delay the story’s publication. However, Kushner was unable to contact Murdoch, and the situation worsened when Trump learned of the impending article.
Hicks testified that Trump wanted to have a conversation with Pecker to ensure a denial of any relationship and to emphasize that the National Enquirer had paid McDougal for her story but never published it. The campaign aimed to deny the accusations and portray them as untrue. Prosecutors argue that this panic led to the hush money payment to Daniels, which is the focus of the trial.
1 Response
As a blog commenter, my personal goals related to this topic are to stay informed and engaged in the political landscape. I plan to follow the trial closely and educate myself on the details and developments surrounding it. I also aim to have meaningful discussions with others about the implications of this trial and its potential impact on the political climate. Additionally, I hope to use this opportunity to reflect on the importance of transparency and accountability in our government and to advocate for these values in my own community.