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Donald Trump is back at Manhattan Criminal Court for the latest instalment of his hush money trial on Friday, where testimony continues.
The court is now hearing from a major witness, former aide and press secretary to Mr Trump, Hope Hicks.
Ms Hicks was a crucial part of the 2016 Trump campaign and allegedly part of at least 10 telephone conversations with Mr Trump and former fixer and attorney Michael Cohen regarding the hush money payments and alleged reimbursements.
She took the stand at around 11.30am and began by saying with a laugh that she was “really nervous” before explaining how she came to work for the former president.
Earlier, Mr Trump’s attorneys cross-examined a forensic analyst from the Manhattan district attorney’s office who pulled thousands of files from Cohen’s phones, including the bombshell audio of a secretly recorded conversation from 2016 that was played yesterday and captured Cohen and the defendant discussing a payment to ex-Playboy model Karen McDougal.
Keith Davidson, the ex-lawyer for Stormy Daniels and Ms McDougal, wrapped up his testimony yesterday.
The Independent’s Alex Woodward is covering the trial at Manhattan Criminal Court.
Hope Hicks is on the stand in a dark suit with a light blue top
“I’m really nervous,” she says with a laugh.
After college, she started working with Trump family, and “I enjoyed it so much that I was offered a position at the Trump Organization, and jumped at the opportunity to join the company full time” in October 2014.
“Shortly after … Mr Trump at the time said that he would be exploring a run for president and we began doing that in January 2015, and just a few months later in March 2015 formed a formal exploratory committee and announced he was running in June 2015.”
She has no professional relationship with Trump today.
At the Trump Organization, she met with Trump “maybe once a week, at first” and then more regularly as he began his political work
Trump is a “very good multi-tasker and a very hard worker”
Alex Woodward3 May 2024 16:37
New witness: Hope Hicks
Hope Hicks is called to the stand to testify.
She is a former aide and adviser to Mr Trump who served as the former president’s press secretary during his 2016 presidential campaign.
Ms Hicks was allegedly part of at least 10 telephone conversations with Mr Trump and Cohen regarding the hush money payments and alleged reimbursements.
Oliver O’Connell3 May 2024 16:30
Todd Blanche is up, asking whether Ms Longstreet ever looked at Michael Cohen’s social media. She says yes – Twitter and podcasts.
Blanche: “Have you listened to all of the Mea Culpa podcasts?”
Longstreet: “Absolutely not.”
Huge laughs from the court and from Blanche.
“Fair,” he says with a smile on his face.
Blanche is friendly, laughing along with her answers, and asks her to clarify that she doesn’t have “independent knowledge of who actually wrote” the posts.
“That’s true, I just know the account it’s posted from.”
Nothing else from the defence and nothing else from the prosecution.
Alex Woodward3 May 2024 16:28
“Nothing ever happened with any of these women. Totally made up nonsense to steal the election. Nobody has more respect for women than me!”
Polls close, but can you believe I lost large number of women voters based on made up events THAT NEVER HAPPENED. Media rigging the election
Can’t believe these totally phoney stories, 100% made up by women (many already proven false) and pushed big time by press, have impact!
And this Truth Social post from 2023:
I did NOTHING wrong in the “Horseface” case. I see she showed up in New York today trying to drum up some publicity for herself. I haven’t seen or spoken to her since I took a picture with her on a golf course, in full golf gear including a hat, close to 18 years ago. She knows nothing about me other than her conman lawyer, Avanatti, and convicted liar and felon, jailbird Michael Cohen, may have schemed up. Never had an affair with her, just another false acquisition by a SleazeBag. Witch Hunt!
Alex Woodward3 May 2024 16:22
Ms Longstreet is back on the stand.
The prosecution opened a video from Twitter on 8 October 2016 – Trump’s apology video for his Access Hollywood remarks.
The clip is played in court.
“I never said I’m a perfect person,” Trump says in the video. “Anyone who knows me knows these words don’t reflect who I am. I said it, I was wrong, and I apologize.”
We see this October 11 2016 tweet: “The very foul-mouthed Sen John McCain begged for my support during his primary. I gave, he won, then dropped me over locker room remarks!”
Oliver O’Connell3 May 2024 16:19
Before the jury returned…
Todd Blanche objected to several of Trump’s Twitter and Truth Social posts from being admitted to evidence as hearsay, including one post that he said is “unduly prejudicial.”
That post – “If you go after me, I’m coming after you,” from last year – speaks to the “pressure campaign that defendant had put on witnesses,” and is admitted into evidence to “offset the defence claim that witnesses are benefiting from willingness of testifying,” Assistant District Attorney Rebecca Mangold said.
She argued that Judge Merchan had previously said the defence would need to “open the door” to allowing such statements, and he’s satisfied that they have.
Alex Woodward3 May 2024 16:15
‘Not a serious candidate’: Trump dismisses RFK Jr
“I don’t know anything about him,” Mr Trump said. “Look, RFK is polling very low, he is not a serious candidate.”
Oliver O’Connell3 May 2024 16:12
Just joining us?
If you’re just joining our rolling live coverage of Donald Trump’s criminal hush money trial, here’s what you missed yesterday in court, as compiled by Kelly Rissman:
Oliver O’Connell3 May 2024 15:57
She was asked if she had to review posts from @realDonaldTrump, and who she believes that person is: Donald Trump.
Trump, slumped in his chair, smiled and nodded his head
No reaction from the former president when she’s asked the same question about his account on Truth Social.
Defence attorney Todd Blanche has a few questions and concerns about some of the materials now being submitted.
He’s going to talk things over with Trump while we’re on the morning break.
Alex Woodward3 May 2024 15:55
New witness: Georgia Longstreet
The next witness to take the stand is Georgia Longstreet, who works at the district attorney’s office as a paralegal.
She is here to discuss the introduction of records.
Ms Longstreet was tasked with identifying publicly available materials like social media posts and news articles relevant to the case, including reviewing between 5,000 and 10,000 social media posts and then using a screenshot app to save them, note them, and “hash” them, which gives them a digital footprint to preserve their integrity.
Basically getting custodial evidence before we see Truth and Twitter posts.
For those keeping score, this is witness number eight.
Alex Woodward3 May 2024 15:42
