Trump adviser tells hush money trial of firestorm over leaked ‘grab women’ tape

Donald Trump is accused of falsifying business records to disguise hush money payments (Charly Triballeau/Pool Photo via AP)

Former White House official and Donald Trump adviser Hope Hicks took the stand on Friday at the former president’s hush money trial and recounted how his 2016 campaign became embroiled in a political firestorm over a recording in which he boasted about grabbing women without their permission.

Ms Hicks, once one of Trump’s closest confidants, was subpoenaed by prosecutors, who are trying to show that the uproar over the infamous leaked Access Hollywood tape hastened Trump’s then-lawyer to pay off a porn actor to bury a negative story that could imperil his 2016 presidential bid.