President Donald Trump had a rollercoaster relationship with former White House communications director Hope Hicks. Hicks, a longtime loyalist who served two separate stints in the Trump administration, appeared during Trump’s 2024 criminal trial despite her reputation for unwavering devotion.
Hicks’ Participation in the 2024 Prosecution of Donald Trump
According to the BBC, Hicks testified that she was “stunned” upon learning of a 2005 recording obtained by Washington Post reporter David Fahrenthold. Internal emails revealed that Hicks’ initial instinct was to alert top campaign staffers, including Jason Miller, Kellyanne Conway, and Steve Bannon, with a plan to “deny, deny, deny.”
Hicks told the court the phrase was a “reflex.” She recalled that when the email was shared with President Trump, he initially denied the comments, stating they did not “sound like something he would say.”
Hope Hicks breaks down in tears while Trump shows no emotion: How nervous aide kept her eyes off her old boss while she delivered tearful and devastating testimony https://t.co/Nfmu6YvaXf pic.twitter.com/0tJhJcVezD
— Daily Mail (@DailyMail) May 3, 2024
Hicks broke down in tears during cross-examination by defense attorney Emil Bove. Her testimony contributed to the proceedings in People of the State of New York v. Donald J. Trump, which ultimately resulted in Trump’s conviction on 34 felony charges, according to ABC News.
Hope Hicks’ Resignation and the “White Lies” Controversy
Before her 2024 testimony, Hicks had been an integral part of Trump’s campaign twice.
In 2018, Hicks resigned as communications director just one day after admitting to the House Intelligence Committee that her role occasionally required telling “white lies” for the president, according to CNN.
White House communications director Hope Hicks, who had no political experience when she joined then-candidate Trump’s campaign, is resigning from her post — one day after testifying before the House Intelligence Committee https://t.co/VJuG0swd7k pic.twitter.com/JpK3D2vblk
— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 28, 2018
Furthermore, at the time, Hicks expressed her gratitude before resigning. She stated, “There are no words to adequately express my gratitude to President Trump. I wish the President and his administration the very best as he continues to lead our country” (via The Guardian).
Her 2018 departure also came amid scrutiny over her professional and personal ties to former staff secretary Rob Porter, according to the Hindustan Times.
During her 2021 departure, Hicks left her position as a top aide at the White House in the final days of Trump’s first presidential administration following the January 6 Capitol riot. According to Bloomberg, this was a planned departure rather than a direct response to any specific event.
Reports indicate that she remains unmarried following her 2024 engagement to Goldman Sachs executive Jim Donovan. While the couple has yet to wed, they have been in a romantic relationship since 2019. Donovan reportedly proposed during a hiking trip in Italy.
After leaving the administration for the second time, Hicks has largely maintained a low profile.
