‘I’m Really Nervous’: Hope Hicks Enters Trump Trial Courtroom to Gasps

Former Donald Trump aide Hope Hicks testified in her ex-boss’s hush money trial in Manhattan on Friday — and her introduction to the courtroom reportedly drew gasps.

Hicks served in multiple roles in Trump’s administration, including communications director. She would later testify for the congressional committee investigating the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, one of the events that led to Hicks ultimately cutting ties with the former president.

Hicks was announced as a witness on Friday for the prosecution in a case where Trump is charged with more than 30 felony counts. He’s accused of falsifying business records to cover up hush money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to hide an alleged affair. Trump has denied any wrongdoing.

Daily Mail senior political reporter Rob Crilly reported on X, formerly Twitter, that Hicks being announced as a witness brought about a “gasp around the public gallery.”

“I’m really nervous,” Hicks reportedly said after she was sworn in at a witness and sitting across from her former boss.

Hicks testified that she hasn’t spoken to Trump since 2022. MSNBC reported from inside the courtroom that Trump was looking at Hicks closely and not smiling. Hicks was called to testify since she was a close advisor to Trump during his initial presidential campaign. The former president has been accused of taking part in “catch and kill” schemes with National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, in which Pecker would find and suppress negative stories about Trump.

Hicks testified about her early days working on Trump’s campaign and her relationship to ex-attorney Michael Cohen, who is expected to testify later, as well as other Trump allies. Hicks reportedly testified that Trump has praised Pecker’s salacious reporting on political rivals like Ted Cruz.

Hicks was also asked about the infamous 2016 Access Hollywood tape in which Trump on a hot mic, saying, “when you’re a star, they let you do it. You can do anything… Grab ’em by the pussy,” when discussing women.

“I was very concerned…I was concerned about the contents of the email, the lack of time to respond,” Hicks recalled after she received an email about the tape.

She testified Trump read the transcript of his conversation and remarked, “That doesn’t sound like something I would say.” He later told her it wasn’t a big deal and just “pretty standard stuff for two guys.”

Watch above via MSNBC.