The ex-publisher of the National Enquirer, David Pecker, is set to resume his testimony in Donald Trump’s New York criminal trial on Thursday. Pecker, who previously served as the chief executive of American Media, which owns the tabloid, testified earlier in the week.
During his testimony, Pecker admitted to leveraging his role to aid Trump in suppressing unfavorable stories that could have harmed his 2016 election campaign. This revelation sheds light on the close relationship between the media and Trump’s campaign strategy during that period.
Following Trump’s declaration of his presidential candidacy, he summoned David Pecker and Michael Cohen, Trump’s former fixer, to a meeting at Trump Tower, Pecker revealed. At this meeting, Trump expressed his desire to enlist a media insider capable of quashing detrimental stories—a tactic known as “catch-and-kill,” according to prosecutors.
Pecker recounted the discussion, stating that Trump and Cohen inquired about the assistance he and his magazines could provide to bolster the campaign. Pecker offered to serve as the campaign’s “eyes and ears,” signaling his willingness to support Trump’s efforts through his media connections. This account underscores the extent to which media influence was sought and utilized within Trump’s election strategy.
According to prosecutors, David Pecker played a pivotal role in linking Donald Trump to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016, prior to the presidential election. Trump faces 34 felony charges related to falsifying business records, with allegations centered around a $130,000 payment made to Daniels in 2016 to suppress details of a purported 2006 affair.
In addition to the Daniels case, prosecutors assert that American Media facilitated payments to silence two other individuals with potentially damaging revelations about Trump. One was a doorman, Dino Sajudin, who claimed Trump fathered a child out of wedlock, and the other was a former Playboy model who alleged an extramarital relationship with Trump.
Pecker has corroborated that American Media indeed paid $30,000 to the doorman, effectively burying his story by choosing not to publish it. These allegations highlight the complex web of secrecy and payments orchestrated to shield Trump from potentially damaging disclosures during his presidential campaign.
Before David Pecker concluded his testimony on Tuesday, prosecutors had initiated inquiries regarding Karen McDougal, the Playboy model who allegedly received $150,000 from American Media for her account of an affair with Trump. While Pecker did not delve into details about the payment before the day’s proceedings ended, he indicated that Michael Cohen appeared to be under significant pressure to obtain information about McDougal as the National Enquirer investigated her story.
Furthermore, on Tuesday, during a break in the trial (which was not in session on Wednesday), Judge Juan Merchan conducted a hearing concerning allegations that Trump had violated a gag order. This order prohibited Trump from publicly discussing prosecutors, witnesses, the jury, court personnel, and their relatives. These developments underscore the complexity and sensitivity surrounding the ongoing legal proceedings.
Prosecutors have alleged that Donald Trump breached the gag order on 11 occasions by posting on social media platforms, where he criticized both Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels. Trump’s legal team contends that he did not violate the gag order but rather responded to what they deem as “political attacks.”
Prosecutors have urged Judge Juan Merchan to hold Trump in contempt of court for these alleged violations and to impose a $1,000 fine for each offense. However, Merchan has yet to render a decision on these claims.
David Pecker stands as the inaugural witness to testify in the trial, which is currently in its seventh day and is anticipated to span six weeks. These proceedings underscore the gravity of the legal battle and its implications for all involved parties.