Hope Hicks tells hush-money jury of Trump’s control over 2016 campaign

Ex-president's former communications director says Access Hollywood tape was a crisis' for his campaign

Hope Hicks, Donald Trump's 2016 campaign press secretary, broke into tears on Friday while testifying in the ex-president's New York criminal hush-money trial, hours after she described his complete control over the campaign.

Hicks, who cut a skittish figure in Judge Juan Merchan's courtroom, is a key prosecution witness. She described Trump campaign staffers' panic when a recording emerged in which Trump bragged about groping women. This was a crisis" for his presidential bid, she said, describing the sentiment among the campaign staff.