By — Associated Press Associated Press Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/ex-tabloid-publisher-testifies-at-hush-money-trial-about-scheme-to-shield-trump-from-damaging-stories Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Ex-tabloid publisher testifies at hush money trial about scheme to shield Trump from damaging stories Politics Apr 25, 2024 3:31 PM EDT The silver-haired, mustachioed former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker appeared at ease on his third day on the witness stand Thursday at Donald Trump’s hush money trial in New York, calmly bringing to life the machinations he says were involved in identifying and burying stories on Trump’s behalf. He vividly recounted conversations he says he had with Trump and the former president’s onetime lawyer and henchman Michael Cohen. He recalled meetings at Trump Tower and a dinner at the White House. READ MORE: David Pecker: Michael Cohen used to ask tabloid to run negative articles on Trump’s political opponents He shed light on the inner workings of the Enquirer and the supermarket tabloid industry — and its use of “checkbook journalism” and “catch-and-kill” tactics — and the frantic race to pay off porn actor Stormy Daniels after the release of Trump’s infamous “Access Hollywood” tape. Many of the details were previously known, but they’d been relegated to court papers and news articles. At Trump’s trial they have a narrator — a grandfatherly figure who made his living in the world of celebrity gossip. The ex-publisher divided his focus between the jury and the prosecutor questioning him. Jurors looked on, often with rapt attention. Pecker testified that Trump invited him to a White House dinner in July 2017 to thank him for helping the campaign — and asked for an update on former Playboy model Karen McDougal. The Enquirer had paid McDougal for the rights to her story claiming an affair with Trump and then kept it under wraps, Pecker testified earlier. Trump was furious when McDougal gave an interview to CNN’s Anderson Cooper in March 2018, Pecker testified. “I thought you had and we had an agreement with Karen McDougal that she can’t give any interviews or be on any TV channels,” Pecker testified that Trump told him by phone. He said he explained to Trump that the agreement had been changed to allow her to speak to the press after a 2016 Wall Street Journal article about his tabloid’s $150,000 payout to McDougal. “Mr. Trump got very aggravated when he heard that I amended it, and he couldn’t understand why,” Pecker told jurors. Judges sets stage for arguments on contempt Donald Trump waved his fist as he returned to the courtroom after a lunch break during the trial. He did not respond to a shouted question about the U.S. Supreme Court, which heard arguments earlier Thursday in his bid to avoid prosecution over his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss. READ MORE: Trump back in New York court for hush money trial while the Supreme Court considers presidential immunity case Meanwhile, the judge in the New York case signed an order setting in motion arguments, not necessarily immediately, over prosecutors’ request earlier in the day for more contempt findings against Trump. Prosecutors had already asked the judge to fine Trump over 10 social media posts they say violate a gag order that bars him from making public statements about witnesses and jurors. Thursday morning, they flagged four additional episodes, including comments at a press event earlier in the day about Pecker, a key witness. Pecker recalls meeting with Trump before inauguration Pecker recalled Thursday a meeting with Trump on Jan. 6, 2017, about two weeks before his inauguration, at which they discussed McDougal. As Pecker recalled it, Trump introduced him to a group of top aides as the National Enquirer owner and joked: “He probably knows more than anyone in this room.” READ MORE: Tabloid publisher testifies he pledged to be Trump’s ‘eyes and ears’ during 2016 race After dismissing the aides, Trump asked Pecker for an update on “our girl,” meaning McDougal, according to Pecker. Pecker said he reassured Trump that McDougal was keeping quiet, and Trump thanked him for handling the matters with McDougal and Dino Sajudin, the former doorman at one of Trump’s buildings who was also paid for his claims. “He said that the stories were very embarrassing,” Pecker recalled. Trump was ‘very upset’ about Wall Street Journal article, Pecker says Pecker also recalled an irate Trump calling him a day after The Wall Street Journal published an article shortly before the 2016 election. The Journal article broke the news of the Enquirer’s $150,000 payment to Karen McDougal for the rights to the former Playboy model’s story claiming an affair with Trump. “Donald Trump was very upset, saying, ‘How could this happen? I thought you had this under control. Either you or one of your people leaked the story,’” Pecker testified. He said he told Trump that perhaps McDougal or someone connected with her had tipped off the Journal. “Our call ended very abruptly. He didn’t say goodbye, which was very unusual,” Pecker testified. Pecker testified that Enquirer owner American Media’s response to the Journal that the company had “not paid people to kill damaging stories about Mr. Trump” was a lie. “I wanted to protect my company, I wanted to protect myself, and I wanted also to protect Donald Trump,” Pecker explained on the witness stand. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now By — Associated Press Associated Press
The silver-haired, mustachioed former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker appeared at ease on his third day on the witness stand Thursday at Donald Trump’s hush money trial in New York, calmly bringing to life the machinations he says were involved in identifying and burying stories on Trump’s behalf. He vividly recounted conversations he says he had with Trump and the former president’s onetime lawyer and henchman Michael Cohen. He recalled meetings at Trump Tower and a dinner at the White House. READ MORE: David Pecker: Michael Cohen used to ask tabloid to run negative articles on Trump’s political opponents He shed light on the inner workings of the Enquirer and the supermarket tabloid industry — and its use of “checkbook journalism” and “catch-and-kill” tactics — and the frantic race to pay off porn actor Stormy Daniels after the release of Trump’s infamous “Access Hollywood” tape. Many of the details were previously known, but they’d been relegated to court papers and news articles. At Trump’s trial they have a narrator — a grandfatherly figure who made his living in the world of celebrity gossip. The ex-publisher divided his focus between the jury and the prosecutor questioning him. Jurors looked on, often with rapt attention. Pecker testified that Trump invited him to a White House dinner in July 2017 to thank him for helping the campaign — and asked for an update on former Playboy model Karen McDougal. The Enquirer had paid McDougal for the rights to her story claiming an affair with Trump and then kept it under wraps, Pecker testified earlier. Trump was furious when McDougal gave an interview to CNN’s Anderson Cooper in March 2018, Pecker testified. “I thought you had and we had an agreement with Karen McDougal that she can’t give any interviews or be on any TV channels,” Pecker testified that Trump told him by phone. He said he explained to Trump that the agreement had been changed to allow her to speak to the press after a 2016 Wall Street Journal article about his tabloid’s $150,000 payout to McDougal. “Mr. Trump got very aggravated when he heard that I amended it, and he couldn’t understand why,” Pecker told jurors. Judges sets stage for arguments on contempt Donald Trump waved his fist as he returned to the courtroom after a lunch break during the trial. He did not respond to a shouted question about the U.S. Supreme Court, which heard arguments earlier Thursday in his bid to avoid prosecution over his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss. READ MORE: Trump back in New York court for hush money trial while the Supreme Court considers presidential immunity case Meanwhile, the judge in the New York case signed an order setting in motion arguments, not necessarily immediately, over prosecutors’ request earlier in the day for more contempt findings against Trump. Prosecutors had already asked the judge to fine Trump over 10 social media posts they say violate a gag order that bars him from making public statements about witnesses and jurors. Thursday morning, they flagged four additional episodes, including comments at a press event earlier in the day about Pecker, a key witness. Pecker recalls meeting with Trump before inauguration Pecker recalled Thursday a meeting with Trump on Jan. 6, 2017, about two weeks before his inauguration, at which they discussed McDougal. As Pecker recalled it, Trump introduced him to a group of top aides as the National Enquirer owner and joked: “He probably knows more than anyone in this room.” READ MORE: Tabloid publisher testifies he pledged to be Trump’s ‘eyes and ears’ during 2016 race After dismissing the aides, Trump asked Pecker for an update on “our girl,” meaning McDougal, according to Pecker. Pecker said he reassured Trump that McDougal was keeping quiet, and Trump thanked him for handling the matters with McDougal and Dino Sajudin, the former doorman at one of Trump’s buildings who was also paid for his claims. “He said that the stories were very embarrassing,” Pecker recalled. Trump was ‘very upset’ about Wall Street Journal article, Pecker says Pecker also recalled an irate Trump calling him a day after The Wall Street Journal published an article shortly before the 2016 election. The Journal article broke the news of the Enquirer’s $150,000 payment to Karen McDougal for the rights to the former Playboy model’s story claiming an affair with Trump. “Donald Trump was very upset, saying, ‘How could this happen? I thought you had this under control. Either you or one of your people leaked the story,’” Pecker testified. He said he told Trump that perhaps McDougal or someone connected with her had tipped off the Journal. “Our call ended very abruptly. He didn’t say goodbye, which was very unusual,” Pecker testified. Pecker testified that Enquirer owner American Media’s response to the Journal that the company had “not paid people to kill damaging stories about Mr. Trump” was a lie. “I wanted to protect my company, I wanted to protect myself, and I wanted also to protect Donald Trump,” Pecker explained on the witness stand. We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now