Former President Donald Trump encountered his former ally, David Pecker, at his hush money trial in Manhattan on Monday. Pecker, the former publisher of the National Enquirer, became the first person to testify against Trump as the trial commenced, marking a historic moment as a US president faces a criminal case for the first time. Trump notably avoided making eye contact with Pecker as he took the witness stand.
Dressed in a dark gray suit with a yellow tie, Pecker entered and exited the courtroom through a side door typically used by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, avoiding press cameras. Trump appeared to be actively engaged during Pecker’s testimony, engaging in conversations and passing notes to his lawyer.
Pecker’s testimony lasted approximately 20 minutes before court adjourned early to accommodate a juror’s emergency dental appointment and to allow time for preparations for the Jewish holiday of Passover. As Pecker left the courtroom, he gave a slight nod towards the defense table, although it remains unclear whom he was acknowledging. He is scheduled to continue testifying on Tuesday.
The current status of Trump and Pecker’s relationship is unknown, and it remains to be seen if they are still on friendly terms. Pecker acknowledged being subpoenaed to appear at the trial. Prosecutors from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office alleged during opening statements that Pecker assisted Trump in orchestrating three “catch-and-kill schemes” to conceal damaging information leading up to the 2016 presidential election.
Pecker has yet to be questioned about his alleged involvement in a meeting at Trump Tower in 2015, where prosecutors claim he, Trump, and former lawyer Michael Cohen devised the scheme to identify and silence damaging stories about Trump. However, Pecker did provide insight into his time as CEO of American Media Inc., the parent company of the National Enquirer. He emphasized the importance of magazine covers and revealed that stories exceeding $10,000 required his approval.
Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo stated during opening statements that Pecker paid $30,000 to former Trump Tower doorman Dino Sajudin to prevent him from repeating false claims about Trump having a child with a former housekeeper. Colangelo also alleged that Pecker paid $150,000 to former Playboy Playmate Karen McDougal to suppress her story of an alleged affair with Trump while he was married. Pecker is expected to face further questioning regarding the details of these arrangements.
Trump is accused of having Cohen pay $130,000 to porn star Stormy Daniels to prevent her from publicly disclosing her claims of a past relationship with him. Colangelo informed jurors that Trump subsequently logged reimbursement payments to Cohen as legal expenses, which constitutes the charge of falsifying business records. Colangelo argued that Trump orchestrated a “criminal scheme to corrupt the 2016 presidential election” and then attempted to cover it up through repeated lies in his New York business records.
In his opening remarks, Trump’s lawyer, Todd Blanche, asserted his client’s innocence, stating that Trump did not commit any crimes. Blanche criticized the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office for bringing the case, arguing that attempting to influence an election is a fundamental aspect of democracy. Over the course of the six-week trial, Cohen is expected to testify as the prosecution’s star witness, and Daniels may also provide testimony. Blanche portrayed both individuals as untrustworthy, labeling Cohen an ex-convict obsessed with targeting the former president and characterizing Daniels as an opportunist attempting to extort money from Trump.
