Just days before Donald Trump became president in 2017, a group of advisers and allies met at Trump Tower, including the publisher of The National Enquirer, David Pecker. Pecker had paid off a Playboy model and a doorman to keep their stories about Trump quiet. Trump thanked Pecker for his services, acknowledging that the stories could be embarrassing. This private meeting was revealed in court during Trump’s criminal trial in Manhattan, where Pecker recounted how he helped keep damaging stories hidden during Trump’s campaign.
Pecker testified that Trump relied on him to buy and bury scandalous stories that could have harmed his campaign. He described a meeting in January 2017 at Trump Tower where Trump introduced Pecker to key figures in his future administration. They joked that Pecker probably knew more than anyone in the room. Pecker detailed how he helped quash three stories about Trump, including the hush-money deal with Stormy Daniels, which prosecutors allege was part of a conspiracy to hide damaging stories.
Pecker explained “catch and kill,” a tactic used by tabloids to buy the rights to a story and bury it, protecting the subject. He purchased Karen McDougal’s story for $150,000, disguising it as payment for other services to avoid illegal campaign donation charges. Pecker acknowledged that the motive for keeping McDougal’s story quiet was to protect Trump’s campaign. He also revealed his role in the hush-money deal with Stormy Daniels, who was paid $130,000 through Trump’s fixer, Michael Cohen.
The prosecution accuses Trump of falsifying records related to the payment to Stormy Daniels, charging him with 34 felonies. Trump denies any wrongdoing and claims the relationships with Daniels and McDougal did not happen. Pecker’s testimony was essential to the case, detailing the inner workings of the tabloid world and his interactions with Trump and Cohen. Trump’s legal team attempted to discredit Pecker’s credibility during cross-examination, pointing out inconsistencies in his recollection of events.
Pecker described how he learned about Daniels’ story during a crucial time in Trump’s campaign, following the release of the “Access Hollywood” tape. He warned Cohen that Trump would be furious if Daniels went public, but ultimately did not pay her off, leaving the deal in Cohen’s hands. After The National Enquirer’s deal with McDougal was exposed just before the election, Trump was upset and blamed the tabloid for the leak. However, Pecker maintained that the deal was off due to legal concerns.
Despite the turmoil, Trump continued to ask about McDougal after his inauguration, showing a continued interest in her well-being. Pecker recounted a conversation with Trump in the White House where Trump asked about McDougal’s status, indicating that he was aware of who she was. These revelations from Pecker shed light on the efforts to conceal damaging information about Trump during his presidential campaign, casting a shadow over his tenure in office.
