Former White House communications director Hope Hicks is seen behind closed doors during an interview with the House Judiciary Committee. | J. Scott Applewhite/AP Photo Congress Nadler: Hope Hicks broke with Trump on accepting foreign dirt

Hope Hicks broke with President Donald Trump during her interview with the House Judiciary Committee this week, telling lawmakers that offers of foreign assistance in U.S. elections should be “rejected and reported to the FBI,” Chairman Jerry Nadler said on Thursday.

Hicks, the longtime former Trump confidante, sat for nearly eight hours behind closed doors with the committee on Wednesday and fielded questions on several subjects related to her tenure as a senior aide on the Trump campaign, the presidential transition period, and in the White House as communications director.


Nadler indicated during a Judiciary Committee hearing on Thursday that Hicks was also asked about Trump’s recent comments to ABC News in which he suggested that he would accept a foreign adversary’s offer of damaging information about a political opponent.

According to Nadler, Hicks “knew that the president’s statement was troubling” and “understood the president to be serious.”

“She also made clear that even she knew that such foreign assistance should be rejected and reported to the FBI,” added Nadler.

Nadler did not quote Hicks directly; the transcript of her testimony was released later Thursday.

Trump on Thursday praised Hicks' testimony, saying, "She was great. I heard she was terrific."

A White House lawyer was present for Hicks’ interview in order to assert the White House’s position that Hicks was “absolutely immune” from answering questions about her tenure in the Trump administration. Democrats expressed frustration with the interview, and some suggested that the committee could soon take Hicks to court to enforce its subpoena.

