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Cohen’s testimony ties together the prosecution’s allegations that Trump broke the law by falsifying business records to reimburse Cohen and conceal the hush money payment that Cohen said he made at Trump’s direction. Cohen described his conversations with Trump during the Daniels hush money negotiations, which prosecutors backed up using Cohen’s phone records to show when the two had spoken. Trump,” Cohen said. “Reimbursement of my money,” Cohen said. They joined Trump for the high-profile Cohen testimony, sitting in the gallery behind the former president at the defendant’s table.

Persons: CNN — Michael Cohen, Donald Trump, Stormy Daniels, Trump, Cohen, Daniels, Susan Hoffinger, Todd Blanche, perjurer, David Pecker, Keith Davidson, Karen McDougal, Pecker, Davidson, Dylan Howard, Hope Hicks, “, ” Cohen, ”, Hoffinger, ” Hoffinger, “ Mr, Michael Cohen's, Melania, CNN “, Trump’s, reimbursements Cohen, Allen Weisselberg, Weisselberg, “ David Dennison ”, Peggy Peterson ”, would’ve, ” –, McDougal, glanced, Hicks, Madeleine Westerhout, Cohen’s, wasn’t, Juan Merchan’s, Eric Trump, Susie Wiles, Sen, Rick Scott, J.D, Vance of Ohio, Tommy Tuberville, Nicole Malliotakis, Alina Habba Organizations: CNN, Trump, National Enquirer, Melania Trump, New York, Republican Locations: Yom Kippur, –, Trump, Cohen’s, Republic, Manhattan, Florida, Alabama, Staten, Iowa

A courtroom sketch of Michael Cohen while under questioning by prosecutor Susan Hoffinger at Donald Trump's Manhattan hush-money trial. Michael Cohen, the ex-lawyer for former President Donald Trump, departs his home in Manhattan to testify in Trump's criminal hush-money trial. "It was fantastic," Cohen testified Monday of his decade working for Trump, calling the Trump Organization "a big family." Advertisement"Working for him, especially during those 10 years, was an amazing experience in many, many ways," Cohen told the jury. Former President Donald Trump and attorney Emil Bove attend his New York criminal hush-money trial.

Persons: —, Donald, Von ShitzInPants, Cohen, Donald Trump, bestie, Michael Cohen, Susan Hoffinger, Donald Trump's Manhattan, Jane Rosenberg, Trump, Playboy Bunny Karen McDougal, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, he'd, Ben, Big Ben, Roethlisberger, McDougal, Mike Segar, " Cohen, Hillary, Melania, David Pecker, Jonathan Ernst, Roy Cohn, Jeff McConney, McConney, Emil Bove, Spencer Platt, Hope Hicks, Hicks, Prosecutors Organizations: Service, GOP, Trump, Business, REUTERS, Prosecutors, National Enquirer, Trump Organization, Trump Tower, Reuters, Tahoe, FBI Locations: New York, Manhattan, Trump, York

“It was Michael Cohen,” Davidson responded. Cohen is the only witness who will testify about Trump’s alleged involvement in both the decision to pay Daniels and the plan to reimburse Cohen for advancing the money. Prosecutors allege that during the February meeting, Trump and Cohen agreed how Cohen would be paid back. Arguably the most negative assessment of Cohen came from Davidson, who negotiated the hush money deal with Cohen on Daniels’ behalf in 2016. “There were times where Mr. Cohen did things that you felt were not helpful to what you were trying to accomplish, right?” Bove asked Trump’s 2016 campaign press secretary.

Persons: Michael Cohen, Donald Trump’s, Cohen, Stormy Daniels, David Pecker, Hope Hicks, “, Daniels, Keith Davidson, Daniels ’, Gina Rodriguez –, “ Gina, Keith, ’ ” Davidson, ”, Joshua Steinglass, ” Davidson, Trump, Trump’s, Pecker, ” Steinglass, Todd Blanche, Elie Honig, Cohen’s, antagonizing Trump, Juan Merchan, Merchan, Cohen ’, Emil Bove, ” Pecker, Bove, Gary Farro, ” Farro, Davidson, ” Cohen, Christ, I’m, I’ve, ’ ”, Jeff McConney, ” McConney, Matthew Colangelo, Hicks, –, ” Bove, ” Hicks Organizations: CNN, Trump, National Enquirer, American Media Inc, Prosecutors, Office, Daniels, Trump Organization Locations: Manhattan, Trump’s New York, Moscow, thedirty.com, Washington

☆ Trump's 'multi-tasking' defense is falling apart in court
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( Jacob Shamsian | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +11 min

AdvertisementThis is one of the arguments Donald Trump's lawyers have advanced in his defense for his hush-money trial: Trump didn't do anything wrong. Cohen met with Allen Weisselberg, the now-former Trump Organization CFO, in January of 2017 to hash out how he'd get reimbursed by Trump and the Trump Organization, according to records shown at trial. Occasionally, he'd write "VOID" on one he didn't want to be paid, according to Trump Organization employee Deborah Tarassoff. If Trump had a question about a check, he'd talk with a Trump Organization employee about it, Westerhout testified. Advertisement"Am I correct that when he would sign checks, he was often multitasking?"

Persons: —, Donald, Trump, Michael Cohen, reimbursing Michael Cohen —, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, Cohen, Hope Hicks, Hicks, Susan Necheles, Madeleine Westerhout, Necheles, Westerhout, he's, — Trump, Allen Weisselberg, he'd, Weisselberg, Jeffrey McConney, Trump's, Keith Schiller, Deborah Tarassoff, Tarassoff, Rhona Graff, Donald Trump, Westerhout didn't, Rebecca Manochio, Manochio, Graff, what's Organizations: Service, Business, FBI, The Manhattan, Attorney's, Trump Organization, Wall Street, Trump, Washington Post, FedEx, White, Manhattan, New York Locations: United States, New York, North Korea, Russia, Manhattan, Washington, DC, New York City, Westchester

☆ Opinion: Michael Cohen has lied. Here’s why the Trump jury can believe him
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-12 | by ( Opinion Norman Eisen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Pecker explained that for the scheme to further benefit Trump’s campaign, he later set in motion the hush money payment to Stormy Daniels. Trump claimed Cohen made the payment on his own and not at Trump’s direction, but Hicks did not believe him. He testified that he was under the belief that Cohen needed Trump’s approval to wire any funds and that Trump was the source. Former Trump Organization accountant Deborah Tarasoff also told the jury that Trump was directly involved in reimbursing Cohen. She spoke at length about how Trump continued to focus on personal and Trump Organization business minutiae while in the White House.

Persons: Norman Eisen, “, Donald Trump, CNN — Michael Cohen, Trump, Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Norm Eisen, Daniels, David Pecker, Pecker, Hope Hicks, ” Hicks, Hicks, Allen Weisselberg, ” Trump, Weisselberg, Keith Davidson, Davidson, Deborah Tarasoff, reimbursing Cohen, Tarasoff, Donald J, Eric Trump, Reimbursing Cohen Cohen, Trump’s, Jeffrey McConney, I’ve, ” McConney, Madeleine Westerhout, Westerhout, Sally Franklin, ” Organizations: CNN, Trump, American Media, National Enquirer, Trump Organization, Trump Revocable Trust, White House, White, Twitter, Facebook, Random, “ Trump, The Trump Organization Locations: Trump’s Manhattan, Manhattan, Trump, “

AdvertisementThe unprecedented criminal trial of a former US president has delivered several stunning moments so far. Jurors get a peek at the 34 records at the heart of the caseTwo weeks into Trump's trial, jurors finally saw the paperwork at the heart of the matter. A courtroom sketch of Stormy Daniels on the witness stand in Donald Trump's hush-money trial. On the stand, Daniels said Trump told her she reminded him of his daughter, commenting on her blond hair and beauty. Trump's legal team requested a mistrial on the basis of Daniel's testimony.

Persons: —, Donald Trump, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Michael Cohen —, Hope Hicks, Cohen, Daniels, Hicks, Andrew Harnik, Jeffrey McConney, Deborah Tarassoff —, Alvin Bragg, Stephanie Clifford, Donald Trump's, Jane Rosenberg, Juan Merchan, audibly, Merchan, Judge Merchan, MARK PETERSON, Donald, Von ShitzInPantz, Todd Blanche, Joe Biden, Blanche, Cohen's Organizations: Service, Business, White House, Trump, White House Communications, AP, Trump Organization, Prosecutors, Reuters, Truth, Manhattan Criminal, Getty Locations: Manhattan, Lake Tahoe, New York City

☆ Have You Made an A.I. Friend Yet?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Kevin Roose | Karen Hanley | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

2:53Why Donald Trump Is Frustrated With His LawyersNOW PLAYINGHave You Made an A.I. Friend Yet? 2:40Stormy Daniels Tells Her Story of Sex With Trump1:50Jury Sees Trump’s Checks in Hush-Money Case1:59Our Reporter on Safety at the Kentucky Derby1:25Our Reporter on the Cicada Lifecycle1:38Trump and Hope Hicks Meet Again as She Testifies in Hush-Money Trial2:25University of Chicago President Says Pro-Palestinian Encampment ‘Cannot Continue’2:32Evangelical Latinos Shift Toward the Republican Party1:57Jury Hears Tape of Trump and Cohen Discussing Hush-Money Deal2:47Words and Consequences in the Trump Trial2:06

Persons: Donald Trump, Daniels, Trump, Hope Hicks, Cohen Organizations: NOW, Trump, Kentucky Derby, University of Chicago, Republican Party

☆ Writing your will is 'not just a question about finances,' expert says. Here's why it's a crucial task
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Ana Teresa Solá | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

If the bank were to throw a $500 incentive on top of that aid, 75.6% said they would do it. However, survey respondents saw that workload as a detriment. About 40%, of U.S. adults feel they do not have enough assets to prepare an estate plan or a will, a 21% jump compared with 2022, according to Caring.com's 2024 Wills and Estate Planning Study. "Wills and estate planning are essential for everyone, not just the wealthy," Patrick Hicks, general counsel of Trust & Will, a digital estate planning and probate platform, said in the Caring.com report. Not having the proper estate planning documents in place can put your loved ones in a difficult situation in a catastrophic event, Cornell explained.

Persons: Wettstein, Wills, Patrick Hicks, Cornell Organizations: Center for Retirement Research, Will Locations: U.S

☆ Opinion | The Boring Documents That May Be Devastating to Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Jonathan Alter | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

In Donald Trump’s felony trial last week, we heard about Hulk Hogan’s sex tape, and we watched Hope Hicks cry. So far this week, we heard all about ledgers, invoices and accounts payable stamps. We watched as a loyal Trump accountant authenticated Allen Weisselberg’s handwriting. The same documents with different dates popped up not once or twice but over and over again. The documents were validated today by a former senior vice president of the Trump Organization, Jeffrey McConney, and an accounts payable supervisor, Deborah Tarasoff, both of whose legal fees are being paid by the company.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Hope Hicks, Allen, Trump, Michael Cohen, Jeffrey McConney, Deborah Tarasoff Organizations: Trump, Trump Organization

☆ Live Updates: Trump’s Criminal Trial Speeds Along, With Few Key Witnesses Remaining
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Ben Protess | Jonah E. Bromwich | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +6 min

The Manhattan district attorney has charged Mr. Trump, 77, with falsifying 34 business records to hide a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels, a porn star who says she and Mr. Trump had a tryst in 2006 while he was married. Mr. Trump, the first American president to face criminal prosecution, has denied the charges and says he did not have sex with Ms. Daniels. Here are five takeaways from Mr. Trump’s 11th day, and third week, on trial:A scandalous recording resurfaces. Ms. Hicks recalled consulting with Michael D. Cohen, Mr. Trump’s former lawyer and fixer, who eventually paid Ms. Daniels to keep quiet. On Thursday, prosecutors presented four more incidents and called Mr. Trump’s statements “corrosive.” Mr. Trump’s legal team argued that he was merely responding to political attacks.

Persons: Hope Hicks, Donald J, Trump, Gasps, Trump’s, Hicks, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, Ivanka, Donald Trump’s, Billy Bush, Mark Makela, Juan M, ” Mr, “, Karen McDougal, McDougal, Michael D, Cohen, —, Keith Davidson, Hillary Clinton, Davidson, Mr, Doug Mills, Clinton, ”, Justice Merchan, Merchan Organizations: White, White House, The Washington Post, ”, The New York, The, Wall Street, The National Enquirer, Trump, Manhattan Criminal, New York Times, Prosecutors, Mr Locations: Manhattan, Los Angeles

☆ Opinion: Trump trial prosecutors in hush money case rack up points
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-06 | by ( Opinion Norman Eisen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

He was a financial professional at the Trump Organization for decades who proved to be an effective guide to the second phase of the prosecution’s case. The controller agreed that he “rarely spoke” with Trump while at the Trump Organization, never spoke to Cohen about these issues and was never asked by Trump to make the questioned business entries. Join us on Twitter and FacebookA similar back-and-forth unfolded after the lunch break, including when another member of the Trump Organization accounting staff, accounts payable supervisor Deborah Tarasoff, testified. While we have a ways to go on both halves of the case, prosecutors are scoring more points so far. So while Trump can feel good about his team’s effort, he can’t be very encouraged about where the overall scoreboard stands.

Persons: Norman Eisen, “, Donald Trump, Juan Merchan’s, Jeffrey McConney, Norm Eisen, McConney, David Pecker, Trump, Matthew Colangelo, Allen Weisselberg, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Cohen, Emil Bove, Deborah Tarasoff, District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Hope Hicks Organizations: CNN, Trump Organization, National Enquirer, Assistant, Trump, Cohen, Twitter, Facebook, District Attorney, White House

☆ This is 2024’s new political normal six months from the election
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-05 | by ( Stephen Collinson | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

It’s just another normal week in American politics as unpredictable forces rock both parties and augur a tense run to an election — now six months less one day away — that could fundamentally change the nation. Prosecutors argue he attempted a cover-up to mislead voters in 2016 in an early act of election interference. She also said that Trump felt it was better to deal with the story after the election than beforehand. Last week, in an interview with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Trump refused to guarantee he’d accept the result of the next election. “We have to understand that this is a defining moment for this generation, similar to anti-Vietnam protests, anti-apartheid protests, anti-Iraq War protests,” he said.

Persons: Donald Trump, Joe Biden’s, Mike Johnson, Marjorie Taylor Greene, It’s, —, Trump, Story Daniels, Hope Hicks, Hicks, Michael Cohen, Daniels, Emil Bove, Cohen, Trump’s, Biden, James Singer, “ Trump, ” Singer, Benjamin Netanyahu, Mitch Landrieu, Sen, Bernie Sanders, Lyndon Johnson, Landrieu, Democratic Sen, John Fetterman of, ”, Ro Khanna, “, ” Johnson, Johnson, Greene, don’t, Kevin McCarthy Organizations: CNN, Trump, Republican, Georgia Rep, Prosecutors, White House, Nazi Secret Police, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Israel, Republicans, Union, Biden campaign’s, Independent, Democratic, CBS, Hamas, GOP Locations: Gestapo, New York, Gaza, Manhattan, Trump, “ State, Vietnam, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Michigan, California, Iraq, America, Ukraine, Louisiana

☆ Campaign Updates: At the R.N.C. donor retreat, Trump calls the Biden administration the ‘Gestapo.’
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-05 | by ( Maggie Haberman | Shane Goldmacher | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +8 min

“You have to respect the office of the presidency,” Mr. Trump said. “When you are Democrat, you start off essentially at 40 percent because you have civil service, you have the unions and you have welfare,” Mr. Trump said on Saturday. director whom Mr. Trump fired amid an investigation into Mr. Trump and his campaign, was connected to the Blagojevich investigation. Mr. Trump also mocked the physical appearance of Jack Smith, the special counsel who has indicted him twice. At another point, Mr. Trump said that if anyone wanted to donate $1 million to the R.N.C.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, Biden’s, ” Mr, Trump baselessly, Biden, “, Mr, ”, William P, Barr, Michael Whatley, Mitt Romney, Hope Hicks, Rod Blagojevich, Blagojevich’s, James B, Blagojevich, Jack Smith, Smith, Mike Johnson, Roe, Wade, Trump’s, — Susie Wiles, Chris LaCivita, Tony Fabrizio — Organizations: Republican National Committee, The New York Times, Trump, Democratic, Mr, Sun Locations: New York, Florida, Palm Beach, Fla, Manhattan, Illinois, Minnesota, Virginia, Nevada , Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin

☆ Trump hush-money porn star trial: Here's what's happened so far
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-05 | by ( Mackenzie Sigalos | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Former US President Donald Trump attends his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments linked to extramarital affairs, at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City, on May 2, 2024. The historic hush-money trial, which still has another three to five weeks to go, marks the first-ever criminal trial of an ex-U.S. president. Fined $9,000 for contempt of courtFormer US President Donald Trump sits in the courtroom at Manhattan criminal court in New York, US, on Friday, May 3, 2024. Prosecutors dig inRepublican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump shouts during a campaign event in Freeland, Michigan, U.S. May 1, 2024. Pecker, who said that he purchased the story in order to bury it, said that Trump never reimbursed the company.

Persons: Donald Trump, Doug Mills, He's, he's, Juan Merchan, Trump, Merchan, Attorney Alvin Bragg, Joe Biden, —, doesn't, Trump's protestation, Chris Conroy, Brendan Mcdermid, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Daniels, David Pecker, Pecker, Donald Trump's, Timothy A, Clary, Cohen, Karen McDougal, Rhona Graff, McDougal, Gary Farro, Keith Davidson, Davidson, Hope Hicks, Alex Wong Organizations: Manhattan Criminal, Afp, Getty, Manhattan Supreme, Reuters, Attorney, Trump, Truth Social, Republican, National Enquirer, American Media, White House, Capitol Locations: New York City, Manhattan, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, Waukesha , Wisconsin, Freeland , Michigan, U.S, Republic, Washington , DC

☆ This is the moment Trump changed American politics
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-04 | by ( Zachary B. Wolf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Being elected president shortly after surviving the publication of the leaked “Access Hollywood” tape in 2016 is the moment in which Donald Trump defied political gravity. The ‘Access Hollywood’ tape reexaminedTrump’s 2016 victory in the Electoral College seems only more improbable in the retelling. It is worth revisiting the earthquake the “Access Hollywood” tape set off in the 2016 campaign. Return of the tapeNow, the “Access Hollywood” tape is back. Video Ad Feedback Trump asked if he stands by comments from 'Access Hollywood' tape.

Persons: CNN —, Donald Trump, Trump, Hope Hicks, Hicks, –, ”, crassly, Billy Bush, Bush, Sen, Mike Lee of, Chris Christie, Paul Ryan, Reince Priebus, Christie, Steve Bannon, Melania, ” Trump, “, Bill Clinton, WAZiGoQqMQ — Donald J, Hillary Clinton, James Comey’s, Clinton, Comey, Anthony Weiner, Michael Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Cohen, Daniels, Maggie Haberman, Jonathan Martin, CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, ’ ”, Collins, Feedback Trump, Bannon, Charlie Rose, Rose, Jean Carroll Organizations: CNN, Republican, Electoral, Washington Post, Republicans, Trump, New, New Jersey Gov, Republican National, Twitter, Democratic, The New York Times, CBS Locations: New York, Mike Lee of Utah, New Jersey

☆ Cohen had 39,745 contacts stored in his iPhone, analyst tells Trump's hush-money trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-04 | by ( Cameron Manley | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Michael Cohen was found to have 39,745 contacts stored in his cellphone, said a data analyst. Cohen, Trump's former lawyer, is set to testify against the former president's New York trial. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementProsecutors at Donald Trump's hush money trial wrapped up Thursday's proceedings with testimony from a digital data analyst who works for the Manhattan District Attorney. Douglas Daus, testified he had extracted data from two iPhones belonging to Michael Cohen, Trump's former lawyer, and so-called "fixer"One device had 39,745 contacts, which Daus described as "unusual."

Persons: Michael Cohen, Karen McDougal, Cohen, Trump's, —, Donald Trump's, Douglas Daus, Daus, I've, Hope Hicks, Trump, Allen Weisselberg, Lady Melania Trump, Jane Rosenberg, David, David Pecker, Todd Blanche, Donald, Von ShitzInPantz Organizations: Service, Manhattan, New, Attorney's, Associated Press, Trump Organization, Reuters, Trump, Playboy, American Media, fixer Locations: York, New York County

☆ Who Is Hope Hicks, Once One of Trump’s Most Trusted Advisers?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Maggie Haberman | Matthew Haag | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Hope Hicks was 26 years old and had no political experience when Donald J. Trump plucked her from a job at his daughter Ivanka’s clothing business and hired her for his presidential campaign in 2015. In the years that followed, she rose to be one of his most trusted advisers, eventually serving as the White House communications director. But Mr. Trump has been angry with Ms. Hicks since 2022, when text messages emerged during a House investigation into his efforts to stay in power after his election loss. The messages showed that she had been critical of him after the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol by his supporters. Now, Ms. Hicks, 35, has taken the stand in Mr. Trump’s hush-money trial in a Lower Manhattan courtroom.

Persons: Hope Hicks, Donald J, Trump, Hicks, Trump’s, Michael D, Cohen Organizations: White House, Capitol, Trump Locations: Lower Manhattan, Manhattan

Hope Hicks, a former longtime advisor to Donald Trump, took the witness stand in his hush-money trial Friday. Hicks was Trump's 2016 campaign press secretary and later his White House communications director. AdvertisementHope Hicks, an ex-White House aide and longtime advisor to Donald Trump, broke down in tears while on the witness stand on Friday in the former president's hush-money criminal trial. After answering "yes," Hicks grabbed a tissue and turned to her left while sitting on the witness stand. Hicks took the witness stand again after about a five-minute break, looking flushed but calmer.

Persons: Hope Hicks, Donald Trump, Hicks, —, Emil Bove, Ms, Juan Merchan, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Trump's, Michael Cohen, Hicks —, Cohen, Daniels Organizations: White House, Service, White, Trump Organization, Trump, Prosecutors, Attorney's, Daniels, National Enquirer Locations: Trump, Manhattan

☆ Hope Hicks Takes the Stand: 5 Takeaways From Trump’s Criminal Trial
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Jesse Mckinley | Kate Christobek | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Gasps were heard in the overflow courtroom when Hope Hicks was called as a witness on Friday in Donald J. Trump’s criminal trial in Manhattan, an audible sign of the anticipation as Mr. Trump’s former press secretary and White House communications director took the stand. In nearly three hours on the stand, Ms. Hicks described the impact on Mr. Trump’s campaign of the so-called “Access Hollywood” tape, in which Mr. Trump bragged about grabbing women’s genitals. As soon as the tape was disclosed in October 2016, Ms. Hicks said, she knew it would be “a massive story.”Taking the stand under a subpoena, Ms. Hicks said she was nervous, and at one point, early in the cross-examination, she broke down in tears. The Manhattan district attorney has charged Mr. Trump, 77, with falsifying 34 business records to hide a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels, a porn star who says she and Mr. Trump had a tryst in 2006 while he was married. Mr. Trump, the first American president to face criminal prosecution, has denied the charges and says he did not have sex with Ms. Daniels.

Persons: Gasps, Hope Hicks, Donald J, Trump’s, Hicks, Trump, Stormy Daniels, Daniels Organizations: White House Locations: Manhattan

☆ Opinion: Hope Hicks’ testimony was a nightmare for Trump
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Opinion Norman Eisen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —It’s a cliché to say that electricity surged through a courtroom — but it did when Hope Hicks took the stand Friday morning for her testimony in the election interference trial of former President Donald Trump. That is because as special counsel for the first Trump impeachment, I took her testimony on the alleged 2016 election influence scheme. When I took Hicks’ testimony for the impeachment proceedings, I found her to be a compelling witness, and the same was true Friday. Trump appeared to nod off repeatedly, including during Hicks’ testimony about how she first learned of the Daniels story. !” Asleep or awake, for Trump, Hicks’ testimony was a nightmare.

Persons: Norman Eisen, “, Donald Trump, CNN —, Hope Hicks, Norm Eisen, Hicks, ”, Trump, Stormy Daniels, –, Daniels, ” Hicks, Matthew Colangelo, Michael Cohen, Cohen, — Organizations: CNN, Trump, Washington Post, Twitter, Facebook Locations: East

Much of Hicks’ testimony focused on her role on the Trump campaign in October 2016, just before Election Day. When cross-examining Hicks, Trump attorney Emil Bove elicited testimony that Trump was also concerned about what his wife would think. Video Ad Feedback Trump closed his eyes during Hope Hicks' testimony. There was a lot at play.”Hicks forwarded the email that included a transcript of the audio to several Trump campaign staffers including Kellyanne Conway. With Hicks’ testimony, prosecutors nudged closer to the repayment and the alleged charges.

Persons: Donald Trump’s, Hope Hicks, Hicks, Daniels, Michael Cohen, “, ”, Trump, Matthew Colangelo, ” Hicks, Karen McDougal’s, Emil Bove, Kellyanne Conway, chuckling, Steve Bannon, Conway, Jared Kushner, Jason Miller, McDougal, Cohen, nudged, –, Honig, CNN Hicks, Colangelo, Michael, ‘ Mr, ’ Michael Cohen Trump’s, Douglas Daus, Trump’s, Daus, DANY, Cohen ”, ” Daus, Prosecutors, Chris Conroy, Judge Juan Merchan, Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg, Daniel Dale, He’s, ” Merchan, ” Trump, Merchan Organizations: CNN, White House, Trump, Manhattan, Attorney’s Office, Trump White House, Trump Organization, Prosecutors, Wall Street, American Media, Inc, Wall, Washington Post, ” Prosecutors, House, New York Times, Trump “, Manhattan DA Locations: Washington, Manhattan, New York, Michigan

“I’m really nervous,” Hope Hicks, the onetime Trump spokeswoman, messaging maestro and all-around adviser, acknowledged to the prosecutor questioning her, declaring what was already obvious to the riveted courtroom. Ms. Hicks’s unease came to a head hours later as Mr. Trump’s lawyer began to cross-examine her — and she began to cry. Mr. Trump locked his eyes on her. The question that initially unnerved Ms. Hicks was about her time at the Trump Organization, the family’s business, where she had fond memories of working. Ms. Hicks left the stand, and the trial paused so that she could compose herself.

Persons: Donald J, Trump, “, ” Hope Hicks, Trump’s, Ms, Hicks Organizations: Trump, Trump Organization

☆ Who is Hope Hicks, longtime Trump aide who is testifying in NY hush money case?
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Michelle Shen | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Washington CNN —Hope Hicks, once a longtime trusted aide in Donald Trump’s inner circle, is testifying Friday in the New York hush money trial after being subpoenaed. As CNN reported previously, Hicks appeared before the grand jury last year before Trump was indicted, as did Trump counselor Kellyanne Conway. According to reporting from “The Divider: Trump in the White House, 2017-2021,” Trump is quoted as saying, “Well, Hope doesn’t believe in me.”“No, I don’t,” Hicks replied, according to the book. “Nobody’s convinced me otherwise.”In October 2022, Hicks testified before the House select committee investigating the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot. In a video clip played by the committee, Hicks testified about a conversation she had with Trump after the election, regarding his baseless claims of election fraud.

Persons: Washington CNN — Hope Hicks, Donald Trump’s, “, ” Hicks, Hicks, Trump, Kellyanne Conway, Cohen, Stormy Daniels, Rob Porter, Trump’s, Porter, ” Trump, Hope doesn’t, ”, “ Nobody’s, Trump “, ’ ” Hicks, Daniels, ” Cohen, Prosecutors, upended, –, David Pecker, Dylan Howard, Stephanie Clifford, I’ve, Sheila Jackson Lee, Jerry Nadler, Nadler, ’ Organizations: Washington CNN, CNN, Trump, Trump Organization, White, House Intelligence, Fox News, Trump White, House, Capitol, Politico, US, of, American Media Inc, AMI, National Enquirer, FBI, ” Prosecutors, Democratic Rep, New York Democrat Locations: New York, Southern, of New York, Trump’s

☆ Trump Trial Live Updates: Witness Who Extracted Secret Recordings to Return to the Stand
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Matthew Haag | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +5 min

Before the tape was revealed, Mr. Trump’s legal team aggressively attacked the credibility of Mr. Davidson during a cross-examination that quickly turned hostile. Frequently, Mr. Davidson would respond, “I don’t recall.”Mr. Bove confronted Mr. Davidson about his “fuzzy” memory and Mr. Davidson responded forcefully that his answers had been truthful. Image The jury heard a recording, made by Michael D. Cohen, Mr. Trump’s longtime fixer, during the 2016 campaign. That included one in which Mr. Trump and Mr. Cohen discussed a hush-money deal for Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model who was trying to sell a story about an affair with Mr. Trump. The potential witness list has several major names, including Ms. Daniels, Mr. Cohen and Hope Hicks, who is Mr. Trump’s former spokeswoman.

Persons: Keith Davidson, Stormy Daniels, Donald J, Juan M, Trump, Merchan, Daniels, Davidson, Michael D, Cohen, Mr, Emil Bove, ” Mr, Bove, ”, “, Trump’s, Maansi Srivastava, Davidson’s, Justice Merchan, Alvin L, Bragg, Todd Blanche, ” Trump, Blanche, Doug Mills, Biden’s, Biden, We’re, Douglas Daus, Karen McDougal, Hope Hicks Organizations: Trump, Prosecutors, Trump White House, New York, ., White, Playboy Locations: Manhattan, Michigan, Wisconsin

☆ Hope Hicks Reluctantly Confronts the Man She ‘Totally Understands’ in Court
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Michael M. Grynbaum | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

On Friday, the audience in the courtroom tensed when prosecutors announced the next person to testify on their behalf: Hope Hicks. She was the meticulously dressed, unfailingly polite aide, a former fashion model who developed a nuanced awareness of, and bottomless patience for, her mercurial charge. “She totally understands him,” Paul Manafort, Mr. Trump’s one-time campaign manager, said in 2016. Unlike other aides, she never had a falling out with Mr. Trump (or wrote a tell-all memoir), serving as the White House communications director and returning for the final year of his administration. But their closeness took a hit when it emerged in 2022 that she had voiced anger in a text message to a colleague over the fallout on Mr. Trump’s staff from the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol.

Persons: Donald J, Hope Hicks, Hicks’s, barker, ” Paul Manafort, Trump’s, Trump Organizations: Trump, White House, Capitol

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