‘Trump was my mentor’: David Pecker to testify for fourth time in hush-money trial

A courtroom sketch of Donald Trump watching as David Pecker testifies during Trump’s criminal trial in Manhattan state court in New York, on 25 April 2024. Photograph: Jane Rosenberg/Reuters

Former tabloid publisher David Pecker is taking the witness stand on Friday, his fourth day this week, in Donald Trump’s New York criminal trial.

Pecker was instrumental in coordinating three hush-money payments that were paid during the 2016 election to quash negative stories about Trump. Pecker has testified that American Media Inc (AMI), the publisher of the National Enquirer, paid $30,000 to a former Trump Tower doorman who said Trump had a child out of wedlock. Another $150,000 was paid to Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model who said she had an affair with Trump in 2006.

The third payment, worth $130,000, was paid by Michael Cohen to Stormy Daniels in October 2016. Prosecutors have charged Trump with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records for this hush payment. They say Trump illegally marked reimbursements to Cohen for the hush money as payment for Cohen’s legal services.

On Friday, Pecker will continue to be cross-examined by Trump lawyer Emil Bove. Through yes-or-no questions, which Pecker largely confirmed, Bove on Thursday afternoon started outlining the defense’s argument that AMI has had a long relationship with Trump, one that began well before the election. Buying stories and not publishing them was also standard for the tabloid.

Bove also started questioning Pecker’s memory, saying that he listed two different time periods for when he first met Trump about his campaign.

“These things happened a long time ago – even when you’re doing your best, and I’m sure you are – it’s hard to remember what people said almost 10 years ago,” Bove said.

Earlier in the week, Pecker detailed how he operated as the “eyes and ears” for Trump’s campaign starting in 2015, right after Trump announced his candidacy. He promised Trump and Cohen that he would inform them of any people trying to sell negative stories about Trump.

While Pecker seemed eager to help Trump pay off the doorman, he started becoming weary of the hush payments as AMI was working on an agreement with McDougal. The former Playboy model was requesting $150,000 in payment for her story.

Cohen told Pecker: “I’m your friend, the boss would take care of it.”

Pecker was also nervous about potential campaign finance contribution violations, alluding to previous troubles the National Enquirer had when helping former governor Arnold Schwarzenegger bury stories.

Though AMI would ultimately facilitate payments to McDougal, Pecker would decline to reimburse Stormy Daniels directly.

“I said I don’t want the National Enquirer to be associated with a pornstar,” Pecker said. “This would be very damaging for the magazine, very damaging for American Media.”

Even though the Wall Street Journal would ultimately publish McDougal’s story, and the National Enquirer’s involvement in killing it, four days before the election in November 2016, Trump won the presidency. He would go on to thank Pecker on multiple occasions following his victory.

At the end of their questioning, prosecutors asked Pecker if he had any ill feelings toward Trump.

“On the contrary,” he said. “I felt that Donald Trump was my mentor. He helped me throughout my career.”

Pecker’s testimony continues Friday, the eighth day of the trial, which is expected to last six weeks.