A former aide of President Donald Trump has testified at his hush money trial, revealing the 'chaos' inside the campaign following the revelation of an Access Hollywood video that emerged weeks before the election.

New York

The 2024 United States presidential election between Joe Biden and former president Donald Trump is set to take place this November. 

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Title: Former Aide Testifies in Trump Hush Money Trial, Revealing Campaign Turmoil

In a significant development in the hush money trial involving former President Donald Trump, an ex-aide, Hope Hicks, has provided testimony shedding light on internal campaign reactions. Hicks, serving as Trump's press secretary during the 2016 election campaign, detailed her efforts to mitigate negative press surrounding Trump. Her testimony underscores the anxious attempts to navigate the fallout from the Access Hollywood video that surfaced, casting a shadow over Trump's presidential campaign.

Hope Hicks, compelled by subpoena, recounted her emotional response to learning about the Access Hollywood tape from a Washington Post reporter. The revelation, she noted, was expected to severely impact the campaign's progress negatively. Moreover, Hicks disclosed her subsequent discovery of a story involving Playboy model Karen McDougal, which suggested an affair with Trump and alleged suppression by American Media Inc., the parent company of the National Enquirer, through a purchase of McDougal's story without intent to publish.

The process of drafting responses to these allegations brought to light internal disagreements on strategy between Hicks and Michael Cohen, Trump's attorney. While Hicks proposed a broad denial of accusations, Cohen pushed for a targeted attack on the credibility of the accusers and media, framing it as a distraction orchestrated by political adversaries. This discourse unfolded as Trump vehemently criticized the judicial process, labeling the trial as corrupt and a systemic disgrace.

Amid these controversies, Hicks pointed to Trump's concern over the effect of the McDougal story on his wife, Melania. Instructions were allegedly given to prevent the delivery of newspapers to their home, portraying a different angle on Trump's priorities in contrast to the prosecution's narrative. The testimony by Hicks, who expressed nervousness and visible distress during her account, adds complexity to the ongoing trial as Trump continues his political endeavors.



Trump hush money trial hears from former aide

As Trump's press secretary on the campaign trail, Hicks participated in conversations to suppress negative stories about Donald Trump for the 2016 election. Now, as she took the stand today, she said, quote, I'm really nervous and even cried on the stand at one point. The third week of Donald Trump's hush money case has wrapped up and it's the last place the former president, who is running for re-election, wants to be. The ninth witness to testify in this trial was Hope Hicks, who appeared due to a subpoena. The defense objected to her serving as a witness. She was asked about the Access Hollywood tape and said she learned of it from a Washington Post reporter, saying she was stunned when she heard the tape and believed it was going to be a damaging development that would take the campaign backward. She testified that she learned of Playboy model Karen McDougal also through a newspaper reporter. Inquiring about the alleged affair and American Media Inc. buying McDougal's story, but never publishing it in the National Enquirer. The jury read draft responses between Michael Cohen and Hicks that would be sent to the newspaper, denying all allegations. Hicks initially wrote, we deny each and every accusation. But Cohen wanted to take a different approach, saying these accusations are completely untrue. And just the latest despicable attempt by the liberal media and the Clinton machine to distract the public from the FBI's ongoing criminal investigation into Secretary Clinton and her closest associates. As Trump prepares for a weekend of campaigning, he's sticking to his words of an unfair trial. We have a corrupt DA. We have a corrupt judge who shouldn't be on this case, and it's a disgrace to America, and it's a disgrace to our court system. Hicks also said that Trump was worried about the impact the McDougal story would have on his wife, Melania. So we asked Hicks to make sure that the newspapers would not be delivered to their home, which works against the prosecution's argument that Trump cared more about the election rather than his family. We're live outside Manhattan Criminal Court. I'm Michelle Ross. Back to you, Michelle. Thanks.

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