During the 11th day of the criminal trial in the case N.Y. v. Trump, former Trump campaign and White House communications director testified that Michael Cohen, Trump’s ex-lawyer, would often frustrate campaign staff and do things that were not helpful.
On the witness stand, Hicks testified that Cohen “used to like to call himself Mr. Fix It, but it was only because he first broke it.”
Cohen is a central player and is expected to be the star witness for Manhattan District Attorney Bragg’s case against the former president that he falsified business records connected to a payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to quiet her claims alleging an illicit affair with Trump in the early 2000s.
Cohen arranged and made the $130,000 payment to Daniels, who was then paid by Trump for what were listed as legal expenses, but which the prosecution alleges were reimbursement for the payments for Daniels.
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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.”
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HUSH MONEY TRIAL JUDGE DOUBLES DOWN ON NOT SHOWING TRUMP ‘ACCESS HOLLYWOOD’ TAPE TO JURORS
Hope Hicks, former White House communications director under Trump, testified during his criminal trial on Friday( Alex Wong/Getty Images)
“The release of the Access Hollywood Tape caused a panic within the campaign about defendant’s electoral prospects and ultimately served as the catalyst for consummating the Stormy Daniels payoff,” a filing stated.
On Friday, however, Hicks, who served in the Trump Organization before joining the campaign and eventually the White House as a close advisor to the president, testified that Trump’s main concern following the leak was the impact on his wife, Melania Trump.
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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.
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.
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Fox News’ Grace Taggart, Maria Pavovich and Kerri Kupec Urbahn contributed to this report.
Brianna Herlihy is a politics writer for Fox News Digital.
The attorney wife of an elite Texas law-firm partner and a pilot who joined the company less than a year ago were among six people killed when a private jet flipped over and burst into flames at a Maine airport over the weekend — just after a voice over the radio said, “Let there be light.’’
Tara Arnold — a 46-year-old powerhouse lawyer who lived with her two kids and mega-wealthy husband in a Houston mansion — was en route to Paris with those on board the plane when it crashed Sunday evening, killing everyone, according to records and reports.
Tara Arnold was killed when the plane registered to her husband Kurt Arnold’s personal-injury firm — Arnold & Itkin Law — crashed Sunday evening in Bangor, Maine. Arnold & Itkin LLP
The plane was registered to Tara’s husband Kurt Arnold’s successful personal-injury firm — Arnold & Itkin Law — where she also worked. The other five fatal victims aboard the jet have not yet not publicly identified.
“I am close friends with Kurt and Tara Arnold,” said Lesley Briones, a local Texas lawmaker, to WMTW on Monday.
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The twin-engine Bombardier Challenger 600 was taking off from a snow-covered runway at Bangor International Airport when it crashed and exploded, killing everyone on board, officials said. @Turbinetraveler/X
“My heart hurts for them and their children and their families,” Briones said. “I worked at Arnold & Itkin for a time and so I know them well. This is just a tragedy and in particular Tara, she is just a phenomenal person, a bold leader and somebody who had a heart of service.”
Jacob Hosmer, a 47-year-old Houston-area pilot who was the captain of the flight, also died during the wreck, his father confirmed to KPRC2.
“He’s in Heaven now with Jesus,” grieving dad Gary Hosmer told the outlet.
Hosmer has been working as a pilot for Arnold and Itkin since May 2025. He has held previous positions with Wing Aviation, Apollo Aviation and Priester Aviation, all of which frequently run private charter jets, according to his LinkedIn.
Friends of Hosmer described him as a loving and kind father and husband.
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“I would describe him as a great pilot, a loving husband, and a phenomenal father,” a longtime friend told the outlet.
“He was always kind. He was always laughing.”
The plane — a twin-engine Bombardier Challenger 600, which can seat up to 11 people — was taking off from a snow-covered runway at Bangor International Airport around 7:45 p.m. when it crashed back into the runway and exploded, killing everyone on board, officials said.
A moment before take-off, a voice was eerily heard over the flight’s radio communications saying, “Let there be light,” although it’s unclear what that meant.
“All traffic is stopped on the field!” an air-traffic controller then quickly shouted.
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“Aircraft upside down, we have a passenger aircraft upside down,” a controller added as emergency crews rushed to the wreck.
Arnold was part of a prominent Texas family known for multimillion-dollar donations to Lone Star State Republican causes, as well as to the Texas Longhorns football program. LinkedInThe crash occurred as Winter Storm Fern was battering Maine and much of the East Coast. FAA
Kurt Arnold and his law partner Jason Itkin — as well as both their wives — were known to make multimillion-dollar donations to Lone Star State Republican causes, as well as to such things as the Texas Longhorns football program, which they pledged $40 million to.
Tara, a Louisiana native, worked at the firm, specializing in offshore workplace injuries after graduating with high honors from Tulane Law School.
She and her husband and kids lived together in an $11 million Houston home.
The doomed jet’s flight had landed in Bangor around 6 p.m. for apparent refueling after taking off from Houston and then was taking off again in the blizzard en route to Paris when the tragedy struck, KHOU reported.
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The Arnolds with their children. KNOWAutism FoundationKurt and Tara Arnold with Kisha and Jason Itkin. Kurt and Jason founded the Arnold and Itkin Law Firm. Arnold & Itkin LLP
It remains unclear what role the ongoing Winter Storm Fern may have played in the wreck.
Several other planes were taking off before the wreck, but the airport was also de-icing aircraft waiting on the tarmac — and it remains unclear whether the ill-fated jet had been a part of those procedures.
It remains unclear what role the ongoing Winter Storm Fern may have played in the wreck.
Several other planes were taking off before the wreck, but the airport was also de-icing aircraft waiting on the tarmac.
The private jet had landed in Maine just after 6 p.m. after departing Houston, and had been sitting in the cold since then — and it remains unclear whether it had been a part of the de-icing procedures.
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Bombardier Challenger 600s have had a history of takeoff troubles during inclement cold-weather takeoffs — with small ice accumulations being known to affect the craft, according to aviation consultant Jeff Guzzetti.
“Given the weather conditions at the time and the history of wind contamination with this particular aircraft, I’m sure that’s something the NTSB is going to look into immediately,” he said.
“If there was any kind of precipitation at all, freezing precipitation, they would have needed to clean off those wings before they took off,” Guzzetti added.
The wreck left the airport closed, and it is not expected to reopen until Wednesday.
The National Weather Service issued a report at 6:40 p.m. on Monday for snow showers until 11 p.m. for Worcester, Middlesex, Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk, Bristol, Plymouth and Barnstable counties.
“One last area of snow showers moving through Rhode Island and central and eastern Massachusetts this evening will bring a quick inch or two of accumulation. The snow will briefly lower visibility and could quickly produce snow covered roads. Drivers should be aware of slippery road conditions tonight. Plan on extra travel time,” says the weather service.
Advance Local Weather Alerts is a service provided by United Robots, which uses machine learning to compile the latest data from the National Weather Service.
