Prosecutors asks Hope Hicks whether the idea that Michael Cohen made the $130,000 payment on his own was consistent with her interactions with him. 'I’d say that would be out of character for Michael,' Hicks testifies.

Hicks testifies there was consensus among senior campaign aides about the Access Hollywood tape: 'The tape was damaging. This was a crisis.'

Hicks, who hasn’t spoken to Trump in nearly two years, testified that she is paying for her own attorney.

Hope Hicks, once one of Trump’s top aides and closest confidantes, is the next witness for the prosecution.

Judge Merchan begins today by clarifying to former President Trump that he does have the 'absolute' right to testify if he chooses. Trump claimed falsely yesterday that he couldn’t, and his attorney shook his head in affirmation.

Later today, President Biden will award Rep. James Clyburn with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor.

Upon leaving court today, Donald Trump said he's not allowed to testify because of the gag order, which is not accurate.

Keith Davidson says that Michael Cohen had at times talked with him about being Trump's chief of staff or attorney general. When he didn’t get a job and later called Davidson, Davidson testifies, “I thought he was going to kill himself.”

Todd Blanche in court reads aloud Michael Cohen’s post referring to Donald Trump as “Von Shitzinpantz.” Blanche argues Cohen is “almost daring” Trump to respond.

Judge Merchan: “He’s not allowed to refer to foreseeable witness. There's nothing in the gag order that says he can’t' respond to President Biden.

JD VANCE: I did not read the president's attorneys as saying the president could order a coup

KAITLAN COLLINS: He said it would depend on the circumstances. What circumstances warrant it?

VANCE: He's just saying that would count as an official act.

Asked if he has any hesitation about potentially taking the VP job given how Trump treated his last VP, Sen. JD Vance says, “I'm extremely skeptical that Mike Pence's life was ever in danger. I think in politics, people like to really exaggerate things from time to time.'

KAITLAN COLLINS: You're basically saying that if the president orders a military coup, you believe the only remediation for that is impeachment?

JD VANCE: You're dealing with hypotheticals here

So you agree that people who break in and vandalize a building should be prosecuted?

J.D. Vance: 'Exactly.'

I’m just checking because you did help raise money for people who did so on Jan. 6th.

See you tonight at 9 p.m. ET.

Among those in the courtroom today: Carter Page. Yes, that Carter Page, the Trump 2016 campaign adviser, who was wiretapped by the FBI and later sued the Justice Department. (It was dismissed by a judge two years ago.) Though Trump brought a slew of aides and allies with him,…