Hope Hicks blasted former Trump 'fixer' Michael Cohen in court during Trump's criminal trial ( Alex Wong/Getty Images | Mary Altaffer/AP Photo)
Trump has denied the affair and pleaded not guilty to the 34 criminal counts.
Michael Colangelo, a lawyer for the prosecution and former high-ranking official in the Justice Department, questioned Hicks — who served as the press secretary for Trump’s 2016 campaign — about Trump’s reaction to the "Access Hollywood" tape just prior to the 2016 presidential election, which captured Trump in 2005 making crude comments about women with a television host.
The prosecution has continuously pushed for the tape to be played for the jury, but Judge Juan Merchan had repeatedly said the video is not admissible evidence and is too prejudicial to be played in the courtroom, though they could refer to the transcript.
The tape, they argued in court filings, "bears directly on defendant’s intent and motive, both at the time that he and his confederates made the Stormy Daniels payoff and later when they sought to conceal that payment."
HUSH MONEY TRIAL JUDGE DOUBLES DOWN ON NOT SHOWING TRUMP 'ACCESS HOLLYWOOD' TAPE TO JURORS
U.S. President Donald Trump with attorneys Emil Bove and Todd Blanche attends his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments at Manhattan Criminal Court on May 3, 2024 in New York City. (Curtis Means-Pool/Getty Images)
"He was worried about how this would be viewed at home," Hicks said. "Mr. Trump really values Mrs. Trump’s opinion. She doesn’t weigh in all the time, but when she does… it’s valuable," Hicks told defense attorney Emil Bove in cross-examination.
According to Hicks, Trump asked that newspapers about the leaked tape not to be brought to the Trump residence.
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Bove asked Hicks about the impact on Trump’s family. "I don’t think he wanted anyone in his family to be hurt or embarrassed about anything on the campaign. He wanted them to be proud of him," she responded.
Fox News' Grace Taggart, Maria Pavovich and Kerri Kupec Urbahn contributed to this report.
Brianna Herlihy is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.
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