Trump trial: Emotional Hope Hicks faces her former boss on 'Access Hollywood' tape, Stormy Daniels payment
Trump's former top aide was the top witness on Day 11 of his hush money trial.
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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Prosecutors call longtime Trump aide Hope Hicks
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Hicks says she was 'very concerned' about 'Access Hollywood' tape
Longtime Trump aide Hope Hicks said she first learned of the "Access Hollywood" tape when she was contacted by the Washington Post.
"It would have been in the afternoon of Oct. 7," in 2016, Hicks said. "I received an email from the Washington Post asking for comment."
"I was in my office on the 14th floor of Trump Tower," Hicks said.
Asked about the timing of the story, Hicks said the story was "a month -- maybe a little less than a month" from the election.
Jurors were then shown the email that Hicks received from a Washington Post to request a comment about the video.
"URGENT: WashPost query," the subject line reads.
The email detailed that the video contained Trump engaging in an inappropriate conversation about women and included a transcript of Trump's remarks.
"I was concerned. Very concerned," Hicks said about her reaction to the email.
"I was concerned about the contents of the email. I was concerned about the lack of time to respond. I was concerned that we had a transcript not a tape. There was a lot at play," Hicks said.