Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign was rocked by a scandal that threatened to damage his chances of winning the presidential election. A tape was released showing Trump bragging about grabbing women without their consent, causing widespread outrage and concern among his team. This revelation has resurfaced in the hush money trial, where longtime Trump adviser Hope Hicks testified on Friday.
Hicks, a former White House official, was compelled to testify by prosecutors in the hopes of strengthening their argument that the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape played a role in Trump’s then-lawyer paying off porn actor Stormy Daniels to keep her story hidden. The timing of the tape’s release, just days before a crucial debate with Hillary Clinton, added to the chaos and uncertainty within the Trump campaign. Hicks described the shock and panic among Trump’s advisers upon learning about the tape from a Washington Post reporter. She immediately advised them to “deny, deny, deny” the allegations.
“It was clear to me that this was going to be a major story and would dominate the news cycle for days,” Hicks testified. “This was a damaging development that set us back significantly.”
The release of the tape was a major blow to Trump’s campaign, with Hicks admitting that it would be difficult to overcome. She also revealed that Trump’s main concern was the impact it would have on his family. “He didn’t want anyone in his family to be hurt or embarrassed by anything happening in the campaign,” she said.
Hicks’ testimony shed light on the chaotic aftermath of the tape’s release, but it also served to strengthen the prosecution’s case. They are alleging that Trump worked to prevent damaging stories about his personal life from being made public in order to illegally influence the 2016 election. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is not only seeking a conviction, but also trying to convince the public of the significance of this case, which may be the only one of four Trump prosecutions to reach trial this year.
Trump has vehemently denied any wrongdoing and has accused the case of being a ploy to sabotage his bid for the White House in the upcoming November election. The defense has argued that Trump was simply trying to protect his reputation and family by burying embarrassing stories about his personal life.
During her testimony, Hicks was questioned by Trump’s attorney and revealed that Trump was primarily concerned about his family’s well-being. “I don’t think he wanted anyone in his family to be hurt or embarrassed by anything happening in the campaign,” she said.
Hicks’ close proximity to Trump over the years has made her a person of interest to both congressional and criminal investigators. She has been called to testify on multiple occasions, ranging from the Russia election interference to Trump’s election loss and the January 6th Capitol riot.
Hicks appeared reluctant to be in the courtroom, visibly nervous as she took the stand. She even broke down in tears when asked to reflect on her time at the Trump Organization before joining his 2016 campaign. Referring to her former boss as “Mr. Trump,” she revealed that she last communicated with him in the summer or fall of 2022. Although she is no longer a part of Trump’s inner circle, Hicks spoke highly of the former president when questioned about her background.
She recounted how the release of the tape caused such a frenzy that it overshadowed a major hurricane that was heading towards the East Coast. “I don’t think anybody remembers” where the hurricane hit, Hicks told jurors. Hurricane Matthew, a Category 4 storm, made landfall in South Carolina on October 8th, the day after the “Access Hollywood” tape was made public.
In the aftermath of the tape’s release, Hicks asked Trump’s then-attorney Michael Cohen to investigate rumors of another potentially damaging tape. She wanted to be proactive and not caught off guard by any new revelations. However, it turned out to be false.
Just four days before the 2016 election, Hicks received a request for comment from a Wall Street Journal reporter about a story involving American Media Inc. buying the rights to former Playboy model Karen McDougal’s story of her alleged affair with Trump. Hicks immediately reached out to Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law, in hopes that he could use his connections to Rupert Murdoch, the owner of the Journal’s parent company, to delay the story. However, Kushner was unable to reach Murdoch in time.
The trial will resume on Monday and is expected to last for another month or
