Who is Donald Trump’s former aide, Hope Hicks – who just cried on the witness stand? The ex Ralph Lauren model worked for Ivanka Trump’s clothing business and is engaged to Goldman Sachs boss Jim Donovan
- Trump’s 2016 campaign team was worried about the potential political fallout due to a tape that showed Trump bragging about grabbing women sexually without their permission, Hicks just testified
- Hicks was 26 and working for Ivanka’s clothing business when 2024 presidential hopeful Donald offered her a job for his presidential campaign, despite no prior experience in politics
Donald Trump’s 2016 campaign was seized with worry about the potential political damage from a tape that showed Trump bragging about grabbing women sexually without their permission, long-time Trump adviser Hope Hicks testified Friday at his hush money trial.
Once one of Trump’s closest confidants, Hicks provided a window into the chaotic fallout over the tape’s release just days before a crucial debate with Democrat Hillary Clinton. It was recorded in 2005, but was not seen by the public until October 7, 2016, about a month before election day.
Hicks described being stunned and huddling with other Trump advisers after learning about the tape’s existence from The Washington Post reporter who broke the story. Hicks forwarded the reporter’s request to campaign leadership with the recommendation to “deny, deny, deny”, she said.
“I had a good sense to believe this was going to be a massive story and that it was going to dominate the news cycle for the next several days,” Hicks testified. “This was a damaging development.”
According to various reports, she cried on the witness stand when asked about her time working for the former president.
Here’s what we know about her: