‘Pray Michael pray’: Hope Hicks told Michael Cohen to ask God for help with Trump scandals
Former President Donald Trump’s former press secretary Hope Hicks testified Friday she asked fixer Michael Cohen to ask God for help with a breaking story about a Playboy model who said she’d had sex with the then-presidential candidate while his wife was pregnant.
Hicks read a slate of text conversation with Cohen in the New York City courtroom where Trump stands accused of falsifying business records to cover hush money paid to a porn star ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
“Ok pray Michael, pray!!!” Hicks texted Cohen on Nov. 4, 2016, as the Wall Street Journal broke the story that the National Enquirer had shielded Trump from Karen McDougal’s affair allegations.
This was in response to a command from Cohen ordering Hicks, then Trump’s campaign spokesperson, how to respond.
“One quick statement by him to blow off steam and say that there is no validity and WSJ has turned into a smut paper,” Cohen said.
“Lots of innuendos with little fact,” Cohen added, disparaging the Wall Street Journal piece. “Poorly written and I dot see it getting much play.”
On the witness stand, Hicks confirmed “dot” meant “don’t” with a giggle: “A little irony there.”
Earlier Friday, Hicks testified Trump thought the tabloid the National Enquirer deserved a Pulitzer for a story about rival Ben Carson called “Bungling surgeon Ben Carson left sponge in patient’s brain.”
Hicks then continued to read through her text conversation with Cohen just four days before Trump’s first presidential election day on Nov. 8, 2016.
“It will get play bc the media is the worst,” Hicks said. “But he should just ignore and blow past it.” In court, Hicks confirmed she was referring to Trump.
The text conversation continues to Nov. 5, when both Hicks and Cohen reported to one another the story had gained little traction
“Keep praying!!” Hicks texted Cohen. “It’s working!”
“Even CNN not talking about it,” Cohen replied. “No one believes it and if necessary, I have a statement by Storm denying everything and contradicting the other porn stars statement. I wouldn’t use it now or even discuss with him as no one is talking about this or cares!”
Years later, this conversation was presented in one of four criminal court cases Trump faces, three of which concern allegations of election interference.
