Hope Hicks Testifies: 'Access Hollywood' Tape Caused Panic in Trump Campaign

Hope Hicks, a former top aide to Donald Trump, revealed in her testimony on Friday that the infamous 'Access Hollywood' tape caused widespread alarm among staffers on his 2016 presidential campaign. The tape, which featured Trump making lewd comments about women, was leaked just days before the second presidential debate and sent shockwaves through the campaign.

According to Hicks, the campaign was in a state of panic when they learned that the tape was about to be made public. The tape's release led to a flurry of damage control efforts, with staffers scrambling to contain the fallout and protect Trump's image.

Hicks, who served as Trump's director of strategic communications and later as White House communications director, was a key player in the campaign's response to the tape's release. Her testimony provides a rare glimpse into the inner workings of the Trump campaign and the chaos that ensued in the wake of the tape's release.

The 'Access Hollywood' tape, which was recorded in 2005, features Trump making vulgar comments about women, including boasts about groping and kissing them without consent. The tape's release sparked widespread outrage and led to calls for Trump to drop out of the presidential race.

Despite the backlash, Trump refused to apologize for his comments, instead dismissing them as "locker room talk." The incident marked a turning point in the campaign, with many Republicans distancing themselves from Trump and others calling for him to step aside.

Hicks' testimony is likely to be of interest to investigators probing the Trump campaign's response to the tape's release and the potential impact on the election. Her account provides a firsthand perspective on the campaign's inner workings and the panic that gripped staffers in the wake of the tape's release.

The testimony also highlights the challenges faced by women in the Trump campaign, who were often tasked with defending the candidate's controversial comments and behavior. Hicks' account serves as a reminder of the difficult position that many women found themselves in during the 2016 campaign, and the ways in which they were forced to navigate the treacherous landscape of Trump's political world.