Trump’s former spokesperson Hope Hicks expected to testify in his hush money trial: Sources

Donald Trump’s former spokesperson Hope Hicks is expected to testify for the prosecution at the former president’s criminal hush money trial in New York that is scheduled to begin later this month, multiple sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.

Hicks met in March 2023 with the Manhattan district attorney’s office before Trump was indicted for falsifying business records related to a $130,000 hush payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. Trump has denied all charges and has pleaded not guilty.

Reached by ABC News, Hicks declined to comment. The Manhattan district attorney’s office declined to comment on who might be called as witnesses.

Hicks, who served as Trump’s 2016 campaign press secretary, spoke with Trump by phone in the weeks before the 2016 election as aides and advisers worked to keep long-denied allegations of his affair with Daniels from becoming public, according to court records from a federal investigation.

Hicks held multiple senior level roles in the Trump White House. She no longer works for Trump.

Also Monday, prosecutors asked the judge overseeing the case to clarify whether the limited gag order he issued last week applies to the judge’s family and relatives of Manhattan District Attorney Alving Bragg.

The formal request in a new filing follows a letter to the court on Friday in which the district attorney’s office said Trump’s attacks on the judge’s daughter are making other witnesses gravely concerned about their safety.

“Defendant’s dangerous, violent, and reprehensible rhetoric fundamentally threatens the integrity of these proceedings and is intended to intimidate witnesses and trial participants alike — including this Court,” prosecutors wrote in the new filing Monday. They’re seeking a clarifying order from the judge and a directive that Trump “immediately desist from attacks on family members.”

Trump has repeatedly attacked Judge Juan Merchan’s daughter on social media over her political consulting work for Democratic causes and politicians. Defense attorneys argued Monday he should be allowed to keep up those attacks.

“President Trump must be permitted to speak on these issues in a manner that is consistent with his position as the leading presidential candidate and his defense, which is not intended to materially interfere with these proceedings or cause harm to anyone,” the defense said in their response to the district attorney’s filing.

The defense also sought permission to file a motion requesting Merchan recuse himself from the trial.

“Your Honor’s daughter is an executive and partner at Authentic Campaigns, Inc. As recently as February and March 2024, Authentic has used social media to market its connections to President Biden and Vice President Harris while deriding President Trump,” defense attorneys Todd Blanche and Susan Necheles wrote.

“The trial in this case will benefit Authentic financially by providing its clients more fodder for fundraising, Authentic will make more money by assisting with those communications, and Your Honor’s daughter will continue to earn money from these developments by virtue of her senior role at Authentic .”

Judge Merchan’s gag order prevents Trump from making public statements about witnesses, lawyers other than DA Alvin Bragg, members of the court staff and their families, and prospective jurors. The order does not overtly cover the judge and his family.

Trump last April pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records in connection with a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels just days before the 2016 presidential election.

Jury selection for the trial is scheduled to get underway on April 15 in New York City.