The Donald Trump hush money trial saw former American Media Inc. chief David Pecker testify for over 10 hours, detailing his involvement in suppressing negative stories and supporting Trump’s campaign during the 2016 election. Pecker’s testimony set the stage for further testimony from witnesses like Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen. On Friday, Rhona Graff, Trump’s former assistant, and a banker for Cohen testified, indicating a shift towards the documents central to the charges against Trump.
The trial against Trump involves allegations of falsifying business records rather than the salacious details of the hush money scheme. Prosecutors called in a banker to present evidence of Cohen’s creation of a shell company and bank account to pay for the rights to Karen McDougal’s story, which was ultimately unused. The banker testified that Cohen later established Essential Consultants to pay Daniels for her silence about an alleged affair with Trump. The trial resumes on Tuesday with the banker expected to detail the paperwork related to a home equity line of credit used for Daniels’ payment.
Pecker’s testimony presented conflicting narratives, with prosecutors highlighting unique deals between Pecker and Trump while Trump’s defense sought to discredit Pecker’s testimony through alleged inconsistencies and discrepancies from prior interviews. Trump’s attorney questioned Pecker about inconsistencies between his current testimony and FBI notes from 2018 interviews, including Trump’s alleged thanks to AMI for handling negative stories. Pecker acknowledged some discrepancies but maintained his overall consistency.
Prosecutors defended Pecker’s credibility during redirect by pointing to FBI interviews where Pecker reaffirmed his testimony, including Trump’s gratitude for handling negative stories. Trump’s attorney argued that AMI did not admit to campaign finance violations, but prosecutors countered by showing that the company had acknowledged violations related to the Karen McDougal payment. The back-and-forth during Pecker’s testimony highlighted the intense scrutiny and differing interpretations of his statements.
The trial is set to continue with further testimonies from key witnesses like Stormy Daniels and Michael Cohen, providing more insight into the hush money scheme and Trump’s alleged involvement. The paper trail and document-heavy nature of the trial will be crucial in establishing the charges against Trump related to falsifying business records. The jury will have a three-day break to digest the testimonies and evidence presented so far before the trial resumes on Tuesday with the banker expected to provide more insight into the financial aspects of the hush money scheme. The case against Trump continues to unfold, with each testimony adding to the complex narrative surrounding the historic trial.
