Hope Hicks took the stand as a witness in the trial involving hush money payments made by Donald Trump before the 2016 election. She described the fallout from the “Access Hollywood” tape and the White House response to stories about the payments. Hicks, visibly nervous, avoided eye contact with Trump while answering questions from prosecutors. During her testimony, prosecutors showed jurors the transcript of the “Access Hollywood” tape that caused turmoil in Trump’s campaign.
Throughout her testimony, Hicks discussed her role in the Trump campaign in October 2016, specifically addressing the campaign’s response to the “Access Hollywood” tape and reports about hush money payments to women like Stormy Daniels. Hicks mentioned that Trump was concerned about his image and how the revelations would impact his family. Despite initial denials, Trump eventually acknowledged the authenticity of the tape and the need to address the allegations.
Hicks shared details about conversations she had with Trump and Michael Cohen regarding the hush money payments. She noted that Trump told her about the payments after Cohen claimed to have made them without Trump’s knowledge. Hicks expressed doubts about Cohen’s character, suggesting that it was out of character for him to pay Daniels on his own accord. Trump believed it was better for the story to come out in 2018 rather than closer to the 2020 election. Hicks did not have direct knowledge of the payments but set the stage for future witnesses to elaborate on the matter.
Trump’s legal team continued to undermine the credibility of Michael Cohen during the trial. They raised questions about Cohen’s actions during the 2016 campaign and his reputation as a “fixer.” Digital forensics expert Douglas Daus was also questioned to cast doubt on the evidence from Cohen’s phones. Despite attempts by Trump’s team to challenge the integrity of the evidence, Daus stated that he did not find any evidence of tampering or manipulation in the data related to the recordings from Cohen’s phone.
As the trial progresses, more witnesses are expected to provide insight into the hush money payments and the alleged charges against Trump. The prosecution aimed to connect the dots between Trump, Cohen, and the reimbursements for the payments. The testimony from witnesses like Hicks shed light on the inner workings of the Trump campaign and the subsequent White House response to the hush money allegations. The trial will continue with additional witnesses scheduled to take the stand and provide further details about the case.
