Former President Donald Trump has inaccurately stated that a gag order in his hush-money trial bars him from testifying, a claim dismissed by legal experts. The gag order only restricts him from discussing the trial publicly and does not affect his ability to testify in court. This clarification was noted following Trump’s suggestion that the order limits his testimonial rights, with legal professionals like Karen Friedman Agnifilo explaining that Trump is free to testify if his contributions are relevant and permissible. Despite these explanations, Trump has previously faced fines for breaching this gag order and received judicial warnings about future non-compliance consequences.

In related news, Hope Hicks, a former campaign secretary for Donald Trump, testified in his New York hush-money trial, providing key insights into the internal dynamics of Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign. During her testimony, Hicks recounted a period of intense turmoil following the emergence of a tape where Trump is heard making inappropriate comments about women, labeling it as a crisis moment for the campaign. She stressed that Trump was central to the formulation of campaign strategies and media interactions, indicating that the campaign team was guided by his directives. The trial also addressed alleged efforts by Trump associates, including David Pecker and Michael Cohen, to suppress stories detrimental to Trump’s image during the election, specifically regarding payments made to silence Stormy Daniels and Karen McDougal. Hicks admitted to feeling very nervous during her appearance in court, where she described the scramble within the campaign to manage the fallout from various controversies.