Trump trial: Hope Hicks faces her ex-boss on 'Access Hollywood' tape, Daniels payment

Donald Trump turned his head as his longtime aide Hope Hicks entered the courtroom from a side door behind the defense counsel table and took a seat on the witness stand.

In her roles at the White House, Hicks witnessed several moments of interest to prosecutors. She briefly attended an August 2015 meeting in Trump Tower where tabloid executive David Pecker vowed to serve as the Trump campaign’s “eyes and ears” for negative stories, Pecker testified earlier.

Pecker also testified that Hicks and another White House official, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, called him in March 2018 to strategize about the National Enquirer’s contract with Playboy model Karen McDougal.

Prosecutors have called to the stand Hope Hicks, who for a time was one of Donald Trump's closest and most trusted aide.

Hicks came to Trump after being recruited by his daughter Ivanka, then later expanded as head of communications for the Trump Organization. After launching his campaign, Hicks moved over to run all of his 2016 campaign communications and took on a similar role in the White House. Hicks had two stints in the White House, with her office just steps outside the Oval Office.

She no longer works for Donald Trump or any of his affiliated organizations.

Following the break, custodial witness Georgia Longstreet returned to the stand so prosecutors could introduce evidence that had been posted to social media.

Jurors were shown the 2016 video Donald Trump posted in the wake of the publication of the "Access Hollywood" tape, in which the then-candidate apologized for making "foolish" statements about groping women.

"I said it, I was wrong, and I apologize," Trump said in the video.

Jurors watched their screens closely as the apology video played -- many of them with their heads tilted down at the monitors and showing no emotion at all. Trump watched the video on the monitor on his table.

Trump posted the video late at night following the release of the tape, after aides debated how to respond.

Prosecutors have called Georgia Longstreet as their next witness. A paralegal with the Manhattan district attorney's office, she has worked on the DA's Trump investigation for one-and-a-half years.

Longstreet has been called to introduce multiple social media posts, after the defense declined to stipulate to any of that evidence.

She said has saved about 1,500 social media posts of the approximately 10,000 she reviewed as part of the investigation.

Additional testimony was delayed while the jurors took their morning break. Trump, who usually leaves the courtroom during these short breaks, remained in courtroom during the recess as his attorneys discussed the details of what exhibits prosecutors will introduce after the break.

The former president also surveyed the courtroom and chatted with his legal adviser Boris Epshteyn. At one point he stood alone behind the counsel table while his lawyers attended to other tasks nearby.