Hope Hicks Suddenly Breaks Into Tears at Trump Trial

Hope Hicks, a former top aide to ex-President Donald Trump, broke down in tears while testifying at Trump's hush-money criminal trial in New York City.

Hicks took the stand on Friday to testify on her recollections regarding accusations that Trump attempted to cover up alleged affairs with adult-film star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal just prior to the 2016 presidential election.

Just after Trump lawyer Emil Bove began his cross-examination by asking Hicks what her role was in The Trump Organization, Hicks became emotional and appeared to begin crying for no clear reason.

New York State Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan asked Hicks if she needed a moment before calling a brief recess to the trial. Hicks returned to continue her testimony minutes later.

The Context

Hicks served as a senior White House adviser during the Trump administration, having become a full-time employee of The Trump Organization in late 2014, just months before Trump's political career began. She said in court on Friday that she had not spoken to the ex-president since summer or fall 2022.

Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in an attempt to conceal hush money paid to Daniels and McDougal, which were facilitated by his former lawyer and "fixer" Michael Cohen. Trump also denies that affairs with Daniels and McDougal took place.

The former president claims that all of his legal troubles—which include 54 additional felony charges across three other criminal indictments—are part of a Democrat-orchestrated "witch hunt" that amounts to "election interference" as he seeks to regain the presidency in November.

What We Know

Prosecutors questioned Hicks on Friday about the hush-money payments and the infamous Access Hollywood tape that emerged just weeks before the 2016 election.

After Hicks suggested that Cohen would not have made the hush-money payments "out of the kindness of his own heart" because he is not "an especially charitable person or selfless person," Trump lawyer Bove approached the podium to begin his cross-examination.

According to Newsweek reporter Katherine Fung, who was at the courthouse, Hicks began crying shortly after Bove began to speak. Merchan quickly called a recess, only to return to the court minutes later while saying, "Let's get Ms. Hicks back, please."

Hicks quickly glanced at Trump, who had largely avoided eye contact with his former aide, as she made her way back into the courtroom. Bove told Hicks to inform him if she "needs a minute," prompting Hicks to smile and nod before testimony continued.

Views

Newsweek reached out for comment to Trump's office via email on Friday afternoon.

Legal experts suggested in comments to Newsweek earlier on Friday that Hicks' testimony could prove to be damaging to Trump's defense.

"I think she is an incredibly powerful witness for the prosecution," said Karen Friedman Agnifilo, former Manhattan chief assistant district attorney. "[She's] a true insider who has no axe to grind, no baggage, no bias. The jury will believe her. The defense will try and neutralize her testimony."

Former federal prosecutor Neama Rahmani had similar remarks, pointing out that "at the end of the day, Hicks is a woman and is telling the jurors about the Access Hollywood tapes" and "you can tell Trump is getting agitated about that."

"At a minimum, Hope Hicks is dirtying up Donald Trump," Rahmani said.

What's Next

Hicks concluded her testimony on Friday not long after the brief recess was called following her apparent breakdown. Her testimony's impact on the outcome of the trial remains to be seen.

The New York trial will continue on Monday. Trump lawyer Todd Blanche secured a small win before court adjourned on Friday, with Merchan agreeing that allowing prosecutors to mention that Trump has been held in contempt for violating his gag order would be too "prejudicial" to jurors if the ex-president decides to testify.