Donald Trump’s longtime aide Hope Hicks broke down in tears during a rollercoaster testimony describing the “crisis” sparked by the infamous Access Hollywood tape and her own “stunned” reaction to the “hush money” trial on Friday.
Sliding into the witness stand in a black pantsuit and blue blouse, Hicks told the jury “I’m really nervous” before describing her work in response to a scandal they feared would ruin his 2016 presidential run.
The 35-year-old revealed how Trump was ‘concerned’ that his wife Melania would see articles about the hush money deal and prevented newspapers from being delivered to Trump Tower.
When the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office ended their extensive questioning, she began to cry and said “sorry” to the court, overwhelmed by her actions in front of a man she trusted and admired.
Donald Trump’s longtime aide Hope Hicks broke down in tears during a rollercoaster testimony describing the “crisis” sparked by the infamous Access Hollywood tape and her own “stunned” reaction during the “hush money” trial on Friday
Hicks leaves Manhattan Criminal Court quickly after her emotional testimony on Friday
Hicks’ appearance came as she was due to walk down the aisle this summer, DailyMail.com can reveal.
She’s getting married Goldman Sachs CEO Jim Donovan, 57.
In court, Hicks recalled in vivid detail how, as campaign press secretary, she walked to the 25th floor of Trump Tower to interrupt debate preparations to hand Trump the transcript of the clip in which he delivered the “grab them by the p**” **’ made. ‘ comments.
An upset Trump insisted he “didn’t want to offend anyone” and felt his rude comments were “pretty standard stuff for two guys chatting,” she told the jury.
The prosecutor led her through detailed descriptions of her interactions with Trump as he came forward with lurid allegations. She also revealed that she has not spoken to the former president since the fall of 2022 and that she is paying for her own lawyer, despite her fearlessness. loyalty as she worked by his side.
Hope Hicks, former White House communications director, in 2018
Hope Hicks testifies as Donald Trump looks on
During an appearance on the stand where she barely looked at the defendant, she was questioned on topics ranging from fake National Enquirer stories to her relationship with Ivanka Trump.
Hicks also laughed when she said the campaign’s response to the clip of Trump saying “grab them by the p****” should be “deny, deny, deny.”
She praised her old boss as a smart political player who was in the driver’s seat during the campaign.
US President Donald Trump poses for a photo with former communications director Hope Hicks outside the Oval Office in 2018
Hope Hicks smiles at U.S. President Donald Trump during a Make America Great Again rally at Dubuque Regional Airport on November 1, 2020 in Dubuque, Iowa
White House adviser Hope Hicks waves to US President Donald Trump during a campaign rally at Ocala International Airport in Ocala, Florida, US, October 16, 2020
‘He knew what he wanted to say and how he wanted to say it. We all just followed his lead,” Hicks said.
When asked if he deserves credit for the different messages the campaign focused on in terms of the agenda he put forward, she said yes.
She said the National Enquirer’s bogus story about Ben Carson’s “medical malpractice” was worth a Pulitzer Prize.
The communications officer described conversations between Donald Trump and the magazine’s publisher, David Pecker.
Hicks said Trump congratulated Pecker on the “great reporting.”
She also heard former President Pecker praise the story linking Ted Cruz’s father to Lee Harvey Oswald, the gunman who killed JFK.
Asked about Republicans’ reaction to the Access Hollywood tape, Hicks mentioned then-Speaker Paul Ryan and Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican nominee.
She described them as people who always felt they had to ‘weigh in’.
Trump grinned at the joke from two of his political enemies.
Advisor to US President Hope Hicks boards Air Force One at Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport August 20, 2020
Hope Hicks, a former top aide to former US President Donald Trump, is cross-examined by lawyer Emil Bove during the criminal trial against Trump
Hicks also told the jury that when the Access Hollywood tape came out, Trump was “concerned about how this would be viewed at home,” meaning by his wife Melania.
Trump lawyer Emil Bove asked Hicks what comments she had made about Trump’s relationship with his wife that made her think it was causing him stress.
Hicks told the jury: “He really values Mrs. Trump’s opinion and she doesn’t weigh in all the time, but when she does it’s really meaningful to him.
“He really, really respects what she has to say.
“He was concerned about what her perception of this would be. I know that weighed heavily on him.’
Bove asked, “It continued to weigh on him as more accusations were made?”
In a low voice, Hicks said, “Yes.”
White House Advisor to the President Hope Hicks walks off Marine One before boarding Air Force One as she leaves Washington with US President Donald Trump for campaign trips to Florida at Joint Base Andrews, Maryland, US, October 23, 2020
Michael Cohen, former lawyer for Donald Trump
Bove asked why she thought Trump wouldn’t have the newspapers delivered to his home in November 2016, when the story about Karen McDougal broke.
He said: ‘This hit home in a very real way? Were there parts of this that were very personal to him?’
Hicks replied, “Absolutely. I don’t think he wanted anyone in his family to be hurt or embarrassed by what happened during the campaign. He wanted them to be proud of him.”