'Optics aren't great': Ex-Trump insider says campaign problem looms in hush money trial
A potentially fatal campaign problem looms in former President Donald Trump's criminal hush money trial, his former press secretary argued Tuesday.
Sarah Matthews raised concerns on CNN's "The Situation Room" about Trump's 2024 bid to reclaim the White House and the effect his trial will have on undecided women voters.
"The optics of it aren't great," she said. "This was an affair he had with a porn star shortly after his wife gave birth to their child."
Trump has pleaded not guilty to charges that he falsified business records and denies the affairs contended by adult film star Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal.
Matthews added, that for those who may remain "on the fence" with Trump are likely going to be grimacing because "they're unsure about his character."
Trump faces 34 counts of falsifying business records, which Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg contends was done to manipulate the outcome of the 2016 presidential election.
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The 77-year-old presumptive Republican nominee for 2024 presidential election has pleaded not guilty.
"This is just another reminder of the kind of man that he is," Matthews said. "And so this is something that they might have to deal with, with this trial."
But then Matthews recalled another scandal that experts predicted would torpedo his campaign in 2016.
"But also who knows," she said. "It's certainly could not have an impact at all when you look at 2016, the Access Hollywood tape came out and he still went on to be successful."