Hicks, former press spokesperson for Donald Trump, testified on Friday in the so-called bribery case.
She was to testify about her recollections of Trump’s attempts to cover up alleged relationships with porn star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal just before the 2016 presidential election.
– I’m really nervous, said Hicks when she began her explanation, according to BBC.
Trump glanced over at her as she walked toward the witness box. At the start of her explanation, she called Trump very hardworking, and she described the Trump Organization as a large and successful company.
Shortly after Trump’s lawyer Emil Bove began his cross-examination by asking Hicks what her role was in the Trump Organization, she became very emotional for seemingly no apparent reason, according to Newsweek
She seemed to be trying to hold back tears and asked for a moment as she grabbed her purse. Hicks sniffled audibly from crying.
Judge Juan Merchan asked Hicks if she needed a moment before calling for a short break.
She left the courtroom with her lawyer and the jury was led out.
– I apologize for that
As she exited, Hicks moved her hair to one side of her neck, lowered her head and picked up her pace slightly as she passed Trump, according to CNN, which is following the trial.
Trump stayed put the entire time.
She returned to continue her testimony minutes later.
– I’m sorry about that, said Hope Hicks, when she was back in the witness box.
– Asked her to deny
In court, Hicks also said she spoke to Trump on the phone when, before the 2016 election, he tried to prevent the public from hearing about the meeting between him and porn star Stormy Daniels a decade earlier.
Daniels claims the two had sex, which Trump denies. He is charged with falsifying business documents in connection with a $130,000 payment to Daniels, allegedly to prevent her from telling her story to the media.
In court Friday, Hicks said that four days before the election, she had told Trump that the Wall Street Journal planned to print Daniels’ story. He then allegedly asked her to deny any allegations of a sexual relationship between him and Daniels.
Pressed out
Hicks very surprisingly resigned as Trump’s communications director at the end of February 2018.
A large private legal bill in the ongoing Russia investigation and the romance with Trump adviser Rob Porter may have pushed Hicks out of the White House, a Trump supporter told VG.
It also came just a couple of weeks after Porter had to leave the White House after two ex-wives accused him of abuse.
Annoyed Trump
Her decision came a day after Hicks told a congressional hearing that she occasionally told white lies to protect the president.
The fact that Hicks admitted that she lied to cover up for Trump, according to some media, should have irritated the president.
When Hicks resigned, she was the fourth press secretary to have worked for Trump.
But Trump bragged about Hicks when she quit.
– Hope is outstanding and has done a fantastic job (…) She is as smart and thoughtful as you can imagine. A thoroughly brilliant person, he wrote in a press release.
