David Pecker, former chairman of American Media Inc., provided detailed testimony in Donald Trump’s hush money case. He explained how he paid to suppress Karen McDougal’s story about her alleged affair with Trump, while refusing to pay for Stormy Daniels’ story, which ultimately led to Michael Cohen paying for it. Trump, who has denied the affairs and pleaded not guilty, did not want to be in court, but was required to be there. The judge did not issue a ruling on whether Trump violated the gag order, with further examples provided to support the claim.
Pecker testified about his involvement in the hush money deals, including the catch-and-kill scheme to silence McDougal. He also described his interactions with Trump and Cohen, revealing that Trump was angry when McDougal’s story became public. Despite demands from Cohen, Pecker did not purchase Daniels’ story. After Trump’s election, he inquired about McDougal’s well-being, showing ongoing interest in the situation. Trump’s attorneys began their cross-examination of Pecker on Thursday, with the proceedings set to continue on Friday.
The focus on Trump’s violation of the gag order was a major point of contention in court, with the judge set to hold a hearing next week to address additional violations. The prosecution cited comments made by Trump about Pecker as evidence of breach of the gag order. Trump’s legal team had requested that he be excused from appearing in court on Thursday to attend Supreme Court arguments on presidential immunity. However, the judge denied the request, leading Trump to comment on the Supreme Court case as he left the courthouse.
During cross-examination, Pecker confirmed that suppressing stories was standard practice for AMI, and Trump had a longstanding relationship with the tabloids. Pecker acknowledged that articles about Trump were good for business and revealed a practice of not publishing negative stories about Trump dating back to the 1990s. The cross-examination also delved into Pecker’s dealings with other celebrities and how AMI used checkbook journalism to control narratives in the press. Testimony included details of deals with Arnold Schwarzenegger, Mark Wahlberg, and Tiger Woods.
Trump’s involvement in the hush money payments continues to be scrutinized in court, with Pecker’s testimony shedding light on the inner workings of these arrangements. Pecker’s interactions with Trump and Cohen, as well as his handling of similar situations with other celebrities, provided insight into the methods employed by AMI to manage damaging stories. The ongoing legal proceedings and the potential consequences for Trump’s alleged violation of the gag order are likely to impact the trajectory of the case moving forward.
