David Pecker, the former National Enquirer boss, recently appeared in court to provide testimony in Donald Trump’s hush-money trial. Pecker revealed that he worked closely with Trump during the 2016 election, running positive stories about Trump and negative stories about his opponents in an attempt to boost Trump’s candidacy. This collaboration between Trump and the Enquirer shed light on the tabloid’s unethical practices of serving as a political weapon for Trump, disregarding truth and basic ethics.
Pecker disclosed how he collaborated with Michael Cohen to suppress damaging stories about Trump, such as former Playboy model Karen McDougal’s allegations of an affair, which the Enquirer paid to bury. Pecker worked as Trump’s eyes and ears, alerting the campaign about potential embarrassing stories. Additionally, Pecker admitted to purchasing a false story about Trump fathering an illegitimate child, demonstrating his willingness to protect Trump at all costs.
Pecker also testified about how he worked with Cohen to smear Trump’s Republican rivals during the 2016 primary, including Ben Carson, Ted Cruz, and Marco Rubio. Cohen directed the Enquirer to run negative articles on Trump’s opponents, and Pecker would embellish these stories based on information provided by Cohen. The Enquirer’s collaboration with Trump aimed to manipulate public opinion and influence the outcome of the election.
Despite publishing negative stories about Bill and Hillary Clinton, Pecker mentioned that Trump was pleased with the Enquirer’s coverage. Pecker operated secretively, keeping his relationship with Trump confidential from his staff to avoid leaks. While the days of the Enquirer boosting Trump with sleazy stories are over, right-wing media outlets like Fox News continue to act as propaganda vehicles for Trump, promoting pro-Trump narratives and attacking his opponents.
The lack of objective coverage and biased reporting in right-wing media outlets like Fox News is evident in their selective coverage of Trump’s hush-money trial. While these outlets would likely criticize a similar situation involving President Joe Biden, they have shown a favorable bias towards Trump. This behavior highlights the grossly unethical practices prevalent in partisan media and underscores how Trump exploits this to his advantage. The hush-money case serves as a reminder of the dangerous implications of media collusion and manipulation in politics.
