Michael Cohen testified that Donald Trump told him that it was Melania Trump’s idea to spin the Access Hollywood comments as ”locker room talk.”
Been saying it from day one. Melania has never been a victim in this. She’s been an accomplice. pic.twitter.com/QcqJyFWCYa
— Andrew—Author of America Rises On Substack (@AmoneyResists) May 13, 2024
Been saying it from day one. Melania has never been a victim in this. She’s been an accomplice.
The testimony of Hope Hicks, former White House communications director, in Donald Trump’s hush money trial has raised questions about Trump’s defense strategy, particularly his claim that he was trying to conceal a scandal from his wife, Melania, rather than from the voting public.
Hicks’ testimony on Friday, during which she became emotional and even broke down, was significant because it revealed her involvement in discussions surrounding adult film star Stormy Daniels’ claims against Trump. Daniels alleged that she and Trump had an affair, leading to hush money payments just weeks before the 2016 general election. Trump denies the affair but claims he was attempting to keep these allegations from his wife, not from voters.
Janos Marton, a New York attorney, told Newsweek that Hicks’ involvement in the discussion about Daniels complicates Trump’s defense. “For the jury, the optics of the campaign press secretary being involved at all makes it harder to claim the payoff was related to some personal matter,” Marton explained.
Marton also pointed out that the Manhattan District Attorney’s office could use Hicks’ testimony as evidence that the hush money payment was made to prevent a political scandal in the days leading up to the election. This is backed by the use of emails and texts as evidence, suggesting a broader scheme to cover up the alleged affair.
However, Marton noted that Hicks’ knowledge of the details surrounding the hush money payments is limited, and she is considered a “non-cooperating” witness, meaning she is not facing any criminal charges and is under no obligation to reveal every detail.
