More details are coming to light amid Donald Trump's hush money trial. On Friday, May 3, Hope Hicks, who used to be the Former White House Communications Director when Trump was president, said Trump was nervous when the 2016 Wall Street Journal article, which reported the National Enquirer had paid Karen McDougal for the story of her alleged affair with Trump, but had not published the story, was revealed.
"I believe I heard Mr. Trump speaking to Mr. [Michael] Cohen shortly after the story was published," Hicks testified, adding there was "nothing memorable" about the call with his former attorney. She also testified about how she had to monitor his reaction to the story, adding that Trump was concerned his wife, Melania Trump, would see the story.
Hope, who was visibly emotional in court, said: "I don't think he wanted anyone in his family to be hurt or embarrassed by what's happening on the campaign. He wanted them to be proud of him."
"President Trump really values Mrs. Trump's opinion and she doesn't weigh in all the time, but when she does, it's really meaningful to him," Hope said during cross-examination. "He really respects what she has to say. I think he was just concerned about what her perception of this would be. I know that was weighing on him."
As OK! previously reported, Melania, who has yet to attend the trial, is likely fuming about the whole ordeal, according to Kaitlan Collins.
"And obviously this is going to be a really sensitive moment in this trial, which is how personal this will be for Donald Trump. Karen McDougal is one of the most personal parts of this because she alleged not only that they had an affair, she said they had a relationship," Collins claimed. "And this was something that when, I know from covering the White House and covering Melania Trump, it was deeply upsetting for the first, the former first lady, Melania Trump, and it created a rift in the relationship between her and Donald Trump. Everyone talks about Stormy Daniels and yes, that certainly was there as well. But Karen McDougal I, we were told at the time, agitated Melania Trump more so, actually, than Stormy Daniels had."
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One former aide said Melania is likely waiting for this drama to be over.
"I would imagine that she is pushing him to make this stop. I would imagine that she would push him to go on the stand and defend himself because this is very, very embarrassing for her. It's humiliating for her, and I can guarantee you that she's not happy right now and that he's quite worried about that," former White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said during an interview with CNN.