Trump Bragged About Groping Women, Shocking Press Secretary,Trial, HopeTestimony Reveals

In a stunning revelation during Donald Trump's hush moneytrial, full, coverage, hope, lawyers, begin, cross, former press secretary Hope Hicks testified that Trump bragged about sexually assaulting women in a TV show, shocking his campaign team. The transcript of the infamous "Access Hollywood" tape, in which Trump boasted about grabbing women's genitals, was presented to jurors on Friday.

This revelation highlights the seriousness of the allegations against Trump and raises questions about his fitness for public office. The outcome of this could have significant implications for the accountability of elected officials and the rule of law in the United States.

Hicks, who served as Trump's close confidant and communications director, described the chaos that ensued when the tape surfaced just a month before the 2016 presidential election. "I knew it would be a massive story," said, recalling the campaign's frantic damage control efforts. She testified that she initially recommended denying the tape's authenticity but later confirmed it was Trump's voice after reviewing the transcript and video.

The Manhattan district attorney has charged Trump with falsifying 34 business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to porn star Stormy Daniels, who alleges she had an affair with Trump in 2006. Prosecutors argue that Trump's concern about the tape's impact on his election chances motivated him to authorize the hush money. Trump denies the charges and the alleged encounter with Daniels.

Why this matters: On the stand, Hicks portrayed Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen, who facilitated the payment to Daniels, as a "rogue employee" who liked to call himself a "fixer." She testified that at Trump's direction, she told the Wall Street Journal it was "absolutely, unequivocally untrue" that Trump had sex with Daniels. has attempted to characterize Trump as a family man more concerned about his wife's feelings than the election.

The , now in its third week, marks the first criminal prosecution of a former U.S. president. If convicted, 77-year-old Trump could face up to four years in prison. The court also heard a secretly recorded conversation between Trump and Cohen discussing hush money paid to former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who also claims an affair with Trump.

Hicks' emotional testimony, during which she broke down in tears while discussing her time at the Trump Organization, bolsters the prosecution's case that Trump's team went to great lengths to bury negative stories during the 2016 campaign. As the trial continues, the jury will weigh the evidence to determine if Trump's efforts to conceal the alleged affairs crossed legal lines in his pursuit of the presidency.

Key Takeaways

• Hope Hicks testified that Trump bragged about sexually assaulting women on a TV show.
• The "Access Hollywood" tape was presented to jurors, highlighting Trump's boasts about grabbing women.
• Hicks described the chaos after the tape surfaced, and the campaign's damage control efforts.
• Trump is charged with falsifying business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels.
• If convicted, Trump could face up to 4 years in prison, marking the first criminal prosecution of a former US president.