During a rally in Ohio, Hope Hicks received an email from the Wall Street Journal regarding a story about American Media Inc. purchasing Karen McDougal's account of an alleged affair with President Trump. The email raised questions about whether Trump had a relationship with McDougal and if he or anyone close to him had knowledge of or involvement in the contract between McDougal and AMI.
Hicks, who was on the plane with Trump when they landed in Ohio, expressed concern about the timing of the email and the need to address it before the rally. She believed she informed Trump about the email before the event to ensure there was enough time to respond.
During the trial, the email was presented as evidence, with most jurors closely examining the contents displayed on their monitors. The email's contents shed light on the allegations surrounding the affair and the contractual agreement between McDougal and AMI.