David Pecker is questioned by prosecutor Joshua Steinglass during former President Donald Trump's criminal trial on charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, in Manhattan state court on April 23, 2024, in this courtroom sketch. Photo by Jane Rosenberg/ Reuters

David Pecker: Michael Cohen used to ask tabloid to run negative articles on Trump’s political opponents

Politics

The National Enquirer's former publisher David Pecker testified Tuesday that Michael Cohen would call him and say, "We would like for you to run a negative article" on a certain political opponent.

"He would send me information about Ted Cruz or about Ben Carson or Marco Rubio, and that was the basis of our story, and then we would embellish it a little," he said.

WATCH: What happened in the courtroom during opening statements in Trump's hush money trial

The court was shown examples of the resulting headlines relating to Carson, a surgeon who ran against Trump in the 2016 Republican presidential primary and later became his secretary of housing.

"Bungling surgeon Ben Carson left sponge in patient's brain" reads one article relaying allegations from a former patient.

Pecker said he would send Cohen drafts of these stories, to which Cohen would provide feedback. Asked if he knew whether Cohen ever shared those stories with Trump, Pecker said: "I don't recollect that, no."

Support PBS News Hour

Your tax-deductible donation ensures our vital reporting continues to thrive.

David Pecker: Michael Cohen used to ask tabloid to run negative articles on Trump’s political opponents first appeared on the PBS News website.

Additional Support Provided By: