Anderson Cooper describes the moment Hope Hicks took the stand at Trump's trial

CNN
3 May 202410:17

Summary

TLDRAnderson Cooper provides an insightful account of Hope Hicks' testimony in court, highlighting her nervous demeanor and the significant impact of the Access Hollywood tape on the Trump campaign. Hicks, appearing under subpoena, gave basic answers and downplayed the tape's effect, though she acknowledged it was a major concern. Cooper also discusses the shift in debate preparation following the tape's release and the campaign's scramble to manage the fallout. Despite her attempts to speak positively of Trump, their current relationship appears strained, with minimal interaction observed in court. The testimony offers a glimpse into the campaign's panic and media strategy during the scandal, contributing a crucial piece to the prosecution's case, though not a conclusive one.

Takeaways

  • ๐Ÿ“š Anderson Cooper observed Hope Hicks' testimony and noted her nervousness when she first appeared on the stand.
  • ๐Ÿ‘€ Hicks did not make direct eye contact with Donald Trump as she walked by him, suggesting a possible distance in their relationship.
  • ๐ŸŽค Initially struggling with the microphone, Hicks gained confidence and clarity in her responses once she was closer and could hear herself.
  • ๐Ÿ” Hicks' testimony was under a subpoena, and she provided only basic, non-elaborate answers to the questions posed.
  • ๐Ÿ’ฃ She downplayed the impact of the Access Hollywood tape on the campaign, repeatedly using the word 'no' to describe the level of concern.
  • ๐ŸŒช๏ธ The Access Hollywood tape dominated the campaign narrative for several days, causing a significant shift in strategy and preparation for the debate.
  • ๐Ÿ—ฃ๏ธ Cooper, as a co-moderator of the debate, highlighted the importance of the Access Hollywood question, which was the very first one asked.
  • ๐Ÿค There was a notable lack of interaction between Hicks and Trump during the court proceedings, indicating a change in their relationship.
  • ๐Ÿ‘ฅ Trump was seen communicating with his legal team, but his reactions to Hicks' testimony were not clearly visible.
  • ๐Ÿ˜„ Despite her nervousness, Hicks appeared to relax over time and was even seen laughing at some points during her testimony.
  • ๐Ÿ›๏ธ The prosecution is using Hicks' testimony as a key piece of their case, although it is not the sole evidence; they must still prove the campaign's involvement in hush money payments.

Q & A

  • What was the atmosphere like in the courtroom when Hope Hicks entered?

    -The atmosphere in the courtroom changed significantly when Hope Hicks entered. There was a sense of electricity in the room, and people seemed to be perking up, indicating a heightened level of interest and anticipation.

  • How did Hope Hicks appear when she first came on the stand?

    -Hope Hicks appeared very nervous when she first came on the stand. She seemed hesitant and did not look directly at Donald Trump as she walked by him.

  • How did Hope Hicks's demeanor change after she got closer to the microphone?

    -Once Hope Hicks got closer to the microphone and could hear herself, she commented to the jury that it was easier for her to speak. After this, she seemed to become more confident in her testimony.

  • What was Hope Hicks's attitude towards her testimony?

    -Hope Hicks was respectful and credible in her testimony, but she was also reticent. She was there under a subpoena and gave very basic answers without elaboration.

  • How did Hope Hicks describe the impact of the Access Hollywood tape on the campaign?

    -Hope Hicks downplayed the impact of the Access Hollywood tape on the campaign. She used the word 'no' repeatedly, indicating a level of concern but not a dramatic one.

  • What was the significance of the Access Hollywood tape during the debate?

    -The Access Hollywood tape was a significant issue during the debate. It was the very first question asked, and its presence dominated the campaign for several days, causing a major shift in debate preparation.

  • How did the campaign react to the release of the Access Hollywood tape?

    -The campaign was in a state of panic after the release of the Access Hollywood tape. They were reeling and trying to figure out the impact it would have, and it dominated their focus leading up to the debate.

  • What was Anderson Cooper's observation of Donald Trump's reaction during Hope Hicks's testimony?

    -Anderson Cooper noted that it was hard to see Trump's reaction from his vantage point. However, he observed Trump whispering to Todd Blanchard or Emile Beauvais and saw him surveying the crowd during a recess, but not much visible reaction during the actual testimony.

  • How did Hope Hicks's demeanor evolve during her time on the stand?

    -Hope Hicks started off very nervous and hesitant. However, as she testified, she seemed to relax more and became more cautious and careful with her words, without extrapolating or elaborating on her answers.

  • What was the nature of Hope Hicks's legal representation?

    -Hope Hicks's legal representation was not paid for by Trump or a superPAC. This raised some questions, as it was different from the usual arrangement for key witnesses in such cases.

  • What role did Hope Hicks play in the events leading up to the McDougal story?

    -Hope Hicks played a significant role in the events leading up to the McDougal story. She called Michael Cohen regarding the situation, which triggered a chain of events that included panic and attempts to manage the situation within the campaign.

  • How does Hope Hicks's testimony fit into the overall case?

    -Hope Hicks's testimony is an important piece of the puzzle for the prosecution. While she provides a significant building block for their case, it is not the 'smoking gun'. Prosecutors still need to prove that the payments to Stormy Daniels were made to benefit the campaign and that the documents related to Hope Hicks were false.

Outlines

00:00

๐Ÿ“ข Courtroom Tension and Testimony of Hope Hicks

The first paragraph describes the atmosphere in the courtroom during Hope Hicks' testimony. Anderson Cooper, a reporter, observes Hicks' nervousness and her reluctance to make eye contact with Donald Trump. Hicks, under subpoena, provides minimal answers and downplays the impact of the Access Hollywood tape on the campaign. The paragraph also covers the change in strategy for a debate after the tape's release and the intense focus it brought to the campaign.

05:00

๐Ÿ•ต๏ธโ€โ™€๏ธ Hope Hicks' Demeanor and Legal Representation

The second paragraph focuses on Hope Hicks' demeanor during her testimony, noting her initial nervousness and subsequent relaxation. It also discusses her legal representation, which is not funded by Trump or a superPAC, and the perceived cooling of her relationship with Trump. The paragraph details the importance of Hicks in the McDougal story and the panic that ensued within the Trump team when dealing with the allegations, highlighting the behind-the-scenes scramble to manage the situation.

10:01

๐Ÿงฉ Hope Hicks as a Piece of the Prosecutorial Puzzle

The third paragraph assesses Hope Hicks' role as a witness in the case. While she provides a crucial piece of evidence, she is not considered the decisive factor. Her testimony is seen as an important building block for the prosecution but not the conclusive proof needed to win the case. The paragraph emphasizes that the prosecutors must demonstrate that the payments to Stormy Daniels were made to benefit the campaign and that the documents related to Hicks were false.

Mindmap

Keywords

๐Ÿ’กHope Hicks

Hope Hicks is a former White House Communications Director and advisor to Donald Trump. In the transcript, her testimony in court is a central focus, highlighting her nervous demeanor and the impact of her presence in the courtroom. Her testimony is significant to the case as it provides insights into the inner workings of the Trump campaign and her personal interactions with Donald Trump.

๐Ÿ’กDonald Trump

Donald Trump, the 45th President of the United States, is a central figure in this court scenario. His reaction to Hope Hicks' testimony and the broader context of the case are of great interest. The script mentions that Hicks did not look directly at Trump as she walked by him, indicating a potential shift in their relationship.

๐Ÿ’กTestimony

Testimony refers to the act of giving evidence as a witness in a court proceeding. In this context, Hope Hicks' court appearance and her statements are critical, as they contribute to the overall narrative of the case. Her testimony is described as nervous at first but becoming more confident as she adjusts to the courtroom environment.

๐Ÿ’กAccess Hollywood tape

The Access Hollywood tape is a recording of lewd conversation between Donald Trump and Billy Bush that became a major controversy during the 2016 presidential campaign. In the transcript, the impact of the tape on the campaign is discussed, with Hope Hicks downplaying its significance but acknowledging it as a concern.

๐Ÿ’ก

๐Ÿ’กSubpoena

A subpoena is a legal command to appear in court or produce evidence. Hope Hicks' appearance in court is noted to be under a subpoena, which implies that her testimony is compelled by law rather than voluntary. This sets the context for her cautious and minimal responses to questions.

๐Ÿ’กDebate

The debate mentioned in the transcript refers to a presidential debate in which the Access Hollywood tape was a significant topic. The discussion around the debate highlights the immediate shift in campaign strategy and preparation following the release of the tape, emphasizing its importance in the election.

๐Ÿ’กProsecutor

The prosecutor is the legal representative of the state or government who conducts a case against an individual in a criminal trial. In this context, the prosecutor's questions to Hope Hicks are aimed at uncovering details relevant to the case, particularly regarding the timing and significance of the Access Hollywood tape.

๐Ÿ’กCampaign

The term 'campaign' in this transcript refers to Donald Trump's 2016 presidential campaign. The impact of the Access Hollywood tape on the campaign is a recurring theme, with discussions on how the campaign team responded to the controversy and the strategic decisions made in its aftermath.

๐Ÿ’กStormy Daniels

Stormy Daniels is an adult film actress who allegedly had an affair with Donald Trump and was paid to keep quiet about it. Her case is mentioned in the context of the legal proceedings, where prosecutors must establish a connection between the payment to Daniels and the benefit to the Trump campaign.

๐Ÿ’กHush money

Hush money refers to payments made to individuals to prevent them from disclosing certain information that could be damaging. In the transcript, the payment to Stormy Daniels is discussed as a potential example of hush money, which is a key element that prosecutors must prove was made for the benefit of the campaign.

๐Ÿ’กLegal representation

Legal representation involves the services provided by an attorney to a client in a legal matter. The transcript notes that Hope Hicks' legal counsel is not paid for by Trump or a political action committee (PAC), which is significant as it may indicate the nature of her relationship with Trump and the independence of her testimony.

Highlights

Hope Hicks' appearance in court created a noticeable change in the atmosphere, with people perking up due to her presence.

Hicks seemed very nervous when she first took the stand and did not make direct eye contact with Donald Trump.

After adjusting to the microphone, Hicks appeared more confident in her testimony.

Hicks' testimony was characterized by basic, non-elaborate answers, indicating her reluctance and the fact that she was there under a subpoena.

She downplayed the impact of the Access Hollywood tape on the campaign, repeatedly using the word 'no' to describe the level of concern.

The Access Hollywood tape dominated the campaign for several days, causing a significant shift in debate preparation and strategy.

Hope Hicks' testimony about the debate question on the Access Hollywood tape underscored its importance in the campaign.

Despite the gravity of the situation, Trump's reaction to Hicks' testimony was subdued and not easily discernible from the press's vantage point.

Hicks' demeanor was cautious and careful with her words, avoiding extrapolation or elaboration on the topics discussed.

There was a notable lack of interaction between Hicks and Trump during the court proceedings, suggesting a change in their relationship.

Hicks' legal representation was not paid for by Trump or a superPAC, which raised questions about the nature of her testimony and its implications.

Her role in the McDougal story was significant, as she was involved in calls to Michael Cohen regarding the situation.

The testimony provided insight into the panic within the campaign following the release of the Access Hollywood tape and the potential strategies employed to mitigate its impact.

Prosecutors must prove that the payment to Stormy Daniels was made to benefit the campaign, not just out of worry or panic.

Hope Hicks' testimony, while important, is only one piece of the puzzle and not the definitive evidence that would conclude the case.

The press room's handling of the situation with the Access Hollywood tape and other women's stories was chaotic, indicating a lack of preparedness for such scandals.

The campaign's media strategy was revealed to involve leveraging every possible relationship to manage and mitigate the impact of negative stories.

Transcripts

00:00

I want to go

00:00

quickly to Anderson Cooper,

00:02

who just got out of court.

00:03

Court, of course, is taking a break.

00:05

The jury had left the courtroom there

00:07

so they could go on there

00:08

on the lunch break.

00:10

Anderson,

00:10

you have been there

00:11

all this time today watching.

00:14

Tell us about your observations

00:17

Well, it's fascinating to see Hope Hicks

00:19

coming out.

00:20

Obviously, the testimony before that was

00:23

a little bit more of more mundane

00:27

you know, talking about documents,

00:28

talking about emails.

00:29

But when Hope Hicks came in,

00:32

you could feel sort of

00:33

the electricity in the room.

00:36

Certainly people were perking up.

00:38

She seemed very nervous

00:40

when she first came on the stand,

00:41

seemed very hesitant.

00:43

She did not look

00:44

directly at Donald Trump

00:46

as she walked by him.

00:48

It wasn't clear to me

00:49

whether he looked at her.

00:50

I don't think he did.

00:52

But I couldn't see from my vantage point.

00:54

But she did not look at him.

00:55

She went right to the stand

00:57

There were some

00:57

she was a little bit away

00:58

from the microphone.

00:59

And part of that

01:00

may have been nervousness.

01:01

But also once

01:02

she actually got closer to the microphone

01:04

and she could actually hear herself

01:06

she sounded she

01:07

she commented to the jury

01:09

that that now it was easier for her.

01:11

And she certainly seemed more confident

01:13

after that.

01:14

She's certainly been

01:16

you know, came off I think is very

01:20

respectful, credible.

01:22

Certainly reticent.

01:23

She's there

01:23

under a subpoena,

01:24

which was made clear

01:25

when she first sat down.

01:27

She clearly is not giving

01:30

elaborate answers.

01:31

She's giving the very basic answers.

01:34

And she did seem to kind of downplay

01:36

a little bit

01:38

or search for how to describe the lady's

01:41

point earlier,

01:42

how to describe the impact,

01:44

the bombshell impact

01:45

that the Access Hollywood

01:47

tape had on the campaign.

01:49

She kept turning to the word no.

01:51

She was concerned or very concerned,

01:53

but sort of intimating that there was

01:56

it was

01:57

that was just one word

01:58

she was kind of landing on,

01:59

but that there was a huge concern,

02:02

certainly that she had

02:03

and maybe even more than that.

02:05

Yeah,

02:05

because as she mentioned, Anderson,

02:07

it had kicked a big storm, right?

02:09

A big storm out of the news.

02:11

She said for 36 hours it was

02:13

a catastrophic Trump.

02:16

Yeah.

02:17

And she was

02:18

also then questioned

02:19

about the actual debate,

02:20

which I happened

02:21

to be the co-moderator of

02:24

And it was interesting to hear her.

02:26

The question to from the

02:28

the prosecutor was, you know,

02:31

what was this brought up in the debate?

02:33

Hope Hicks says yes,

02:34

at some point it was.

02:36

And then the moderator,

02:37

then the prosecutor said, you know,

02:38

was it brought up?

02:39

Do you remember when it was brought up?

02:41

And Hope Hicks said

02:42

she thought

02:42

it was one of the first questions.

02:44

It actually was the very first question.

02:45

I asked that question.

02:47

But it was interesting to hear

02:49

the importance

02:50

suddenly now of of sort of ends

02:52

asking that question

02:54

again as another indication of just

02:56

how big a deal this was.

02:58

Because I can tell you

02:58

from the debate preparation

03:00

that we were doing Friday,

03:02

when that Access Hollywood tape came out,

03:04

all the debate preparation

03:06

we had done up to that point.

03:08

Everything changed after the Access

03:09

Hollywood tape came out.

03:11

And it was a big question of

03:12

are we going to lead off the debate?

03:14

I mean, there was really no question

03:16

that we knew Friday

03:17

as soon as that tape came out, that

03:18

that would be the lead

03:19

question in the debate.

03:21

Yeah,

03:21

it is a rare story like that

03:23

that has this seismic feel about it.

03:26

It did it the time.

03:27

I remember going on air myself.

03:30

And before we actually had the tape

03:32

and we just had the transcript

03:34

of what was said.

03:35

It was pretty stunning.

03:37

And so

03:37

I think it really speaks, Anderson,

03:39

even though she's talking

03:40

about being concerned

03:41

and sort of landing on that word,

03:42

there's really no escaping

03:44

just how big of a moment

03:45

this was for Trump.

03:49

No doubt about it.

03:50

And clearly, you know,

03:51

as soon as she received

03:53

the question from,

03:55

you know,

03:55

from the reporter

03:56

about the existence of this tape,

03:59

from then on,

04:00

I mean,

04:00

that dominated the campaign for four days

04:03

after and probably even longer.

04:05

But certainly for that

04:06

that Friday

04:07

that Saturday Sunday was the debate.

04:10

You know,

04:10

they were reeling

04:11

and trying to figure out

04:12

exactly what this meant

04:14

and what the impact of it would be.

04:16

And in, Anderson,

04:17

can you get a sense of how

04:19

Trump is reacting to

04:20

some of these moments that he's hearing?

04:23

We understand from Hope Hicks

04:24

they haven't spoken in some time,

04:26

but clearly she is trying to speak

04:27

very positively of the former president.

04:29

What is his reaction

04:33

It's very hard

04:34

to see from the vantage point

04:36

that we're at.

04:37

I mean, you can see on our monitor,

04:38

but it's been somewhere far.

04:39

Some people actually have binoculars

04:41

in the audience.

04:42

Who are watching from the court press.

04:45

And before they excuse me,

04:46

the court orders

04:47

and also even some of the reporters

04:49

covering it, I couldn't see his face.

04:53

While Hope Hicks was testifying,

04:55

I could see him

04:56

whispering to Todd Blanchard

04:57

or to Emile Beauvais.

04:59

They definitely

05:00

there's a lot of communication

05:01

between all three of them

05:02

there on the stand.

05:04

There was a recess

05:05

at one point

05:06

in which the former president stood up,

05:09

kind of surveyed

05:10

the crowd to see who was who was there.

05:14

But he he doesn't give much reaction

05:18

in the actual courtroom

05:19

or at least not that I could see today.

05:21

What was her demeanor like?

05:23

Because we see the transcripts

05:25

essentially in the descriptions

05:26

of what she's saying.

05:27

But I understand that she's sort of had a

05:30

you know, she's been laughing

05:32

at some moments. What did you see?

05:35

Yeah.

05:36

I mean, she came in

05:37

very sort of hesitantly.

05:39

It appears she came in with an attorney.

05:42

The attorney sat in in the galley

05:45

as she went up to the stand by herself.

05:48

She she clearly

05:49

she definitely seemed very nervous

05:50

and she even said

05:51

she was very nervous, too,

05:53

that she spoke to the jury, saying

05:54

that she was very nervous.

05:56

She definitely seemed to kind of

05:59

relax into it a little bit more.

06:02

But she she was very cautious,

06:04

I think, and careful in the words

06:06

that that she she used

06:08

while on the stand.

06:09

There wasn't a lot of.

06:12

Yeah, she wasn't extrapolating.

06:14

She wasn't sort of elaborating on things.

06:16

She she tried to kind of

06:18

I think she was being very careful

06:20

in what she said.

06:22

And I

06:23

understand, Anderson, I

06:24

saw that Trump greeted

06:25

you as he entered court.

06:27

What can you say about that?

06:30

Honestly, I did not see that.

06:32

I somebody told me that I was turning.

06:35

I turned away.

06:37

I did not know that he'd

06:38

come in the room so we we

06:41

I saw him

06:42

looking at me once during the break,

06:46

but I did not communicate with him

06:48

directly.

06:49

I didn't think it was appropriate.

06:52

Very interesting moment, nonetheless.

06:54

Anderson,

06:54

thank you so much for your observations

06:56

as you've been

06:57

the eyes and ears there in court

06:58

where, of course, we do not have cameras.

07:00

Anderson Cooper, thank you.

07:01

Our panel is back with us here.

07:04

And something very interesting,

07:06

Audie,

07:06

that you were bringing up in the break,

07:07

which is about hope

07:09

Hicks's legal representation.

07:11

Right, which is that

07:11

it's not paid

07:12

for by Trump

07:13

or necessarily

07:14

a superPAC or anything like that.

07:16

And I think that that has always been

07:19

kind of a little bit of a question for me

07:21

with witnesses.

07:22

People are also describing

07:24

their relationship

07:24

as being a lot cooler than it was.

07:27

And the notes from our courtroom

07:29

team are a lot

07:30

about how

07:30

they are not looking at each other

07:32

the way they were not interacting.

07:34

And I think this is remarkable,

07:36

given the role she had in his life.

07:38

Leading up to this point.

07:40

I think she's also important

07:42

on the McDougal's story.

07:44

I mean, she she called Michael Cohen

07:48

testified that she called Michael Cohen

07:50

about this.

07:51

And it explains, I think, the panic

07:55

we saw when David Pecker testified

07:58

the panic that Michael Cohen had

08:00

when he was trying to deal with

08:04

the financing for McDougal.

08:05

And when we heard from the banker

08:07

about how panicked he was.

08:09

So you sort of see this

08:11

this chain of events where she calls

08:14

Michael Cohen, like, what is this real?

08:16

What do we do about this?

08:18

And then he

08:19

sort of tried to toss it off

08:21

like he was not truthful to her

08:22

or so she testified.

08:24

And then we see it from the other

08:26

point of view

08:27

through Pecker and the banker that

08:31

or Davidson

08:31

actually that he becomes the then lawyer

08:34

just to be the lawyer to both of that,

08:38

he becomes increasingly panicked.

08:41

And now we know why

08:43

this he knew this

08:44

story was going to come out and

08:46

and you know,

08:47

she was asking him questions about it.

08:49

She also said

08:50

that she has Donald Trump about it.

08:51

I don't know what he said.

08:53

The real sense

08:54

of what the kind of press war

08:55

room is for Trump during that period,

08:58

which for reporters,

08:59

it was a little bit opaque, right?

09:01

Like people are texting you.

09:03

Maybe they say it's not a big deal.

09:04

They deny it.

09:05

Maybe it is. Maybe it's not.

09:06

But now you're seeing

09:07

how they scurried around

09:09

that they really did think

09:10

that these stories about

09:12

women would be a problem,

09:13

especially in the cumulative.

09:15

And that they thought

09:16

they could reach out

09:16

to, say, The Wall Street Journal

09:18

to set to buy some time. Right.

09:20

They were pulling on

09:21

every media relationship that he had.

09:24

And it gives you a real glimpse

09:25

into sort of

09:26

how they approach these things.

09:27

Up until this point,

09:29

we've got a fairly clear view.

09:31

But from outsiders,

09:32

it sure look like the campaign was

09:34

where ideologically

09:35

they would have been wary.

09:36

Now we're getting the real inside

09:38

and they're beyond worry.

09:40

They're panicked.

09:40

And just to understand

09:41

how this fits into the case,

09:44

prosecute, it's

09:45

not a crime to be worried.

09:47

It's not a crime to be in panic mode.

09:48

It's not a crime to pay hush money.

09:50

Prosecutors have to prove

09:51

the reason

09:51

they paid

09:52

Stormy Daniels was to benefit

09:54

the campaign

09:55

that's part of what they have to prove.

09:56

They also have to prove

09:57

that the documents were false about Hope.

09:58

Hicks knows

09:59

nothing about that,

10:00

nor would she

10:00

or should she know anything about that.

10:02

So this is an example of,

10:03

I think, a powerful,

10:04

productive witness for the prosecution,

10:06

but also fairly limited in what she does.

10:08

She gives them one important

10:09

building block.

10:10

But it's not as if

10:11

this is the smoking gun.

10:12

This is the witness case over

10:13

prosecutors win

10:15

But she's an important piece

10:16

of the puzzle.

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