Former National Enquirer Publisher David Pecker testified on Thursday in the trial of former President Donald Trump, shedding light on his past dealings with Arnold Schwarzenegger and raising questions about the hush-money payment allegations. Pecker revealed that during Schwarzenegger’s 2003 gubernatorial campaign, numerous women contacted the tabloid with allegations of sexual relationships or harassment by the actor-turned-politician.
Pecker disclosed that he had established an agreement with Schwarzenegger, wherein he would inform the former governor of any stories circulating about him and subsequently purchase the rights to those stories. The publisher testified that he spent a significant amount of money, in the range of hundreds of thousands of dollars, to obtain the rights to these women’s accounts.
The trial revolves around the “catch and kill” strategy employed by tabloids like the Enquirer, which involves acquiring the rights to a story and then burying it. Pecker’s testimony focused on the $130,000 payment made to adult film actor Stormy Daniels to keep her alleged 2006 encounter with Trump confidential. Trump has consistently denied having affairs with both Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal.
Pecker’s experience with Schwarzenegger led him to express reservations about engaging in similar deals with Trump, particularly due to concerns regarding campaign finance laws. The former president and Schwarzenegger have had a contentious relationship, with Schwarzenegger replacing Trump as the host of the reality TV show “Celebrity Apprentice” and publicly criticizing him.
Schwarzenegger, who has since focused on his Hollywood career and political efforts against climate change and gerrymandering, has faced his own share of personal controversies. During his gubernatorial campaign, more than a dozen women accused him of groping, and it was later revealed that he had fathered a child with a member of his household staff while married to Maria Shriver, a Kennedy heir and former journalist.
The former governor’s involvement with Pecker’s publications extended beyond the trial, as he briefly served as executive editor of Muscle & Fitness and FLEX magazines. However, Schwarzenegger terminated the deal in 2005 following reports by The Times and the Sacramento Bee.
Representatives of Arnold Schwarzenegger did not respond to requests for comment on the matter. Trump’s attorney, Emil Bove, questioned Pecker about his arrangement with Schwarzenegger during the trial, prompting the publisher to share his concerns about the legality of such transactions.
