Ex-aide Madeleine Westerhout GOP replacing 2016 Access Hollywood scandal

GOP considered replacing Trump as 2016 nominee after Access Hollywood tape surfaced, Trump aide testifies. Scandal shakes campaign, trial reveals details.

In a recent testimony, former Trump aide Madeleine Westerhout revealed that Republican officials had considered replacing Donald Trump as the party's 2016 nominee following the leaked Access Hollywood recording where he made derogatory comments about women. Westerhout, who served as Trump's executive assistant and director of Oval Office operations, shared insights into her time working closely with the former president. She was eventually dismissed from the White House after making off-the-record remarks critical of Trump's daughters.

Westerhout's testimony shed light on Trump's tweet-posting process, where she would transcribe his dictated tweets, print them out, and present them to him for handwritten changes. Trump had specific preferences, such as capitalizing certain words, using exclamation points, and favoring the Oxford comma. The ongoing criminal trial against Trump includes multiple potential witnesses, including his children and former attorney Rudy Giuliani.

The trial centers around 34 charges of falsifying business records related to reimbursement checks Trump sent to Michael Cohen to silence Stormy Daniels. Prosecutors claim these reimbursements were falsely labeled as legal fees. The Access Hollywood tape, a scandal during the 2016 campaign, had a significant impact on Trump's candidacy. Hope Hicks, former press director for the campaign, expressed her concern about the recording, believing it set the campaign back and would be challenging to overcome. The trial continues with more revelations expected in the coming weeks.