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

Trump's former top aide was the top witness on Day 11 of his hush money trial.

Last Updated: May 3, 2024, 4:29 PM EDT

Former President Donald Trump is on trial in New York City, where he is facing felony charges related to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. It marks the first time in history that a former U.S. president has been tried on criminal charges.

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 in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.

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May 03, 2024, 11:22 AM EDT

Jury watches Trump's apology for 'Access Hollywood' tape

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.

Former President Donald Trump, sitting with attorneys Emil Bove (L) and Todd Blanche (R), attends his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments linked to extramarital affairs, at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City, on May 3, 2024.
Curtis Means/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

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.

May 03, 2024, 10:58 AM EDT

DA calls witness to introduce social media evidence

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.

May 03, 2024, 10:42 AM EDT

Trump appears pleased with cross-examination

Trump appeared please during his lawyer's cross-examination of custodial witness Douglas Daus, in which Daus acknowledged there were gaps in the handling of the data on Michael Cohen's iPhone that could create a risk of tampering. Trump nodded at his attorney Emil Bove and conversed with him when Bove sat down.

Former President Donald Trump attends his trial at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City, on May 3, 2024.
Mark Peterson/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

On prosecutors' re-direct examination of Daus, Christopher Conroy asked Daus if the issues raised by Bove would materially impact the integrity of Cohen's device.

Daus replied that they would not.

May 03, 2024, 10:32 AM EDT

Defense asks again about integrity of Cohen's phone data

Douglas Daus told defense attorney Emil Bove that the recording on Michael Cohen's phone of of a 2016 conversation with Donald Trump lacks any metadata to suggest it was ever modified. Bove asked Judge Merchan to strike the response from the record, but the judge denied the request.

Bove then continued to ask Daus about about reliability of the evidence extracted from Cohen's phones.

At one point, Bove suggested that jurors would have to take "Michael Cohen's word for it" regarding the integrity of the evidence after Daus was unable to answer a series of questions with confidence. Daus' said his role was limited to extracting the data from phone, so he couldn't answer questions about the context of the investigation.

Bove suggested for a second time that, in order to fully trust the integrity of the phone, "We would have to take Michael Cohen's word for it."

"It would seem so," Daus said.

Bove subsequently ended his cross-examination of Daus.

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