Hope Hicks, the White House Communications Director, testified behind closed doors for nine hours before the House Intelligence Committee on Tuesday, February 27, 2018, as part of their investigation into Russia’s interference in the 2016 presidential election. Hicks was accompanied by her two private lawyers, as well as three lawyers from the White House, and one lawyer from the Justice Department. Hicks declined to answer most of the questions they posed, although she did not invoke executive privilege. Attorneys from the Trump administration blocked Hicks from answering 155 questions. She would not answer questions about her time in the White House, or about the transition from the campaign to the presidency. Hicks told them she was instructed by the White House to only discuss her time working on the Trump campaign, which began in 2015. Under pressure from lawmakers, however, Ms. Hicks and her lawyers consulted the White House during the interview, and they determined that she could answer limited questions about her work on the transition.

After consultation with her lawyers, she said that she had “never been asked to lie about matters of substance or consequence,” such as Russia’s interference in the election and the possible links to Trump associates. However, she said that while working for President Trump, she occasionally told “white lies.” These “white lies” on behalf of President Trump were about small matters, “such as his availability”, according to the transcript of the interview, which is now available. These “white lies” were told at Trump’s direction.

In admitting to telling lies at his direction, even if only so-called “white lies” about “small matters”, Hicks has been more honest than anyone else in the Trump administration, all of whom refuse to admit to any lying.

Immediately after the testimony on Tuesday, as word spread that she had admitted to telling white lies at Trump’s direction, Trump berated her. “According to the source, Trump asked Hicks after the testimony how could she be so stupid,” said Erin Burnett on Erin Burnett OutFront.

On Wednesday, the day afterwards, she resigned.

The White House denied that Trump berated Hicks, according to CNN.