Trump NY trial day 8: AMI CEO David Pecker's testimony concludes, Trump requests lift of gag order

POLITICS

Trump suggests White House as venue for debate with Biden: 'Would be very comfortable'

Former President Trump suggested the White House as the venue for his debate against President Biden, saying he "would be very comfortable."

Former President Trump suggested the White House as the venue for a debate against President Biden, saying he "would be very comfortable." 

The presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee, after hours in a Manhattan courtroom for the eighth day of his criminal trial, has repeatedly said he will debate Biden "anywhere, anytime, anyplace." 

Biden broke his silence on debating his 2024 opponent on Friday during an interview with radio host Howard Stern. Biden said he would be "happy" to debate Trump. 

"...we're willing to do it Monday night, Tuesday night, Wednesday night, Thursday night, Friday night on national television," Trump said after court concluded for the week. "We're ready. Just tell me where." 

"We'll do it at the White House," Trump added. "That would be very comfortable, actually. You tell me where. We're ready." 

(REUTERS)

Court was dismissed late Friday afternoon following the eighth day of the hush money trial against former President Donald Trump.

The last witness called to testify was Gary Farro, a former senior bank manager at First Republic Bank who worked closely with Trump's ex-lawyer Michael Cohen, and who is expected to be a key witness later in the trial.

Cohen has said that he arranged the $130,000 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels through First Republic.

Farro testified Friday that every time Cohen spoke to him "he showed a sense of urgency." Farro was selected to manage Cohen. He testified that he was selected “because of his knowledge and ability to work with clients who may be a little challenging."

Farro said that he believes he can identify Cohen’s signature. Cohen had more than one account at the First Republic, and they were all his personal accounts. Farro testified that he did not open any accounts for the Trump Organization.

Earlier in the day, ex-tabloid publisher David Pecker took the witness stand, followed by a long-time Trump Org. employee Rhona Graff, who said she had a "vague recollection" of seeing Daniels at Trump Tower.

The trial will resume on Tuesday, April 30.

Fox News' Grace Taggart contributed to this update.

Rhona Graff testifies during former U.S. President Donald Trump's criminal trial (REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg)

Rhona Graff, a long-time Trump Organization employee and considered a "gatekeeper" to former President Donald Trump, testified Friday in the hush money case against him.

New York prosecutor Susan Hoffinger has Graff if she ever saw adult film actress Stormy Daniels in the office at Trump Tower.

Graff said she had a “vague recollection" of seeing her in the reception area before the 2016 election.

Defense lawyer Susan Necheles cross-examined Graff. When asked about her 34-year tenure Graff said, “I never had the same day twice in all that time.  It was very stimulating, exciting…."

Necheles asked if Graff if she recalled Trump considering Daniels for his reality show, The Apprentice. 

Graff testified that she vaguely recalled it. that Stormy would be an interesting addition. Necheles asks if Daniels was at Trump Tower to discuss being cast for the Apprentice, and Graff said that she assumed so based on office chatter.

Necheles asked if Graff was responsible for sending checks to the WH; Graff says she was not. 

Graff confirmed that she would see Trump sign checks, sometimes on the phone, “It would happen…” 

When asked what kind of boss Trump was, Graff said, “I think he was fair…and respectful boss to me in all that time.”

Necheles asks if he respected her intelligence, to which Graff says she wouldn’t have been there 34 yrs if he didn’t.

Graff testified that her conversations with Trump were about business 99% of the time.  He would occasionally ask about her family, sometimes telling her to leave early.

Graff said she attended his presidential inauguration and sat on the platform at the U.S. Capitol.

“It was a pretty unique, memorable experience," she recalled.

(Getty Images)

At the conclusion of his testimony, ex-tabloid publisher David Pecker testified that former President Donald Trump was one of the first people to reach out following an anthrax incident at his company, American Media, Inc., (AMI)

Pecker was CEO of AMI until summer 2020, during which time he was publisher of news outlets like the National Enquirer, Men’s Fitness, and Star.

Defense attorney Emil Bove pressed Pecker if Trump cares about his family, which Pecker confirmed.

Pecker's testimony was key in the hush money trial against Trump. Pecker said he had told Trump and his personal lawyer at the time, Michael Cohen, that he would be their “eyes and ears” for any negative stories that could crop up during the campaign in 2016.

One of those stories is now part of the driving force behind Trump’s hush money trial. Pecker previously admitted to working with Trump’s team to purchase and suppress a story from former Playboy model Karen McDougal about claims of a 2006 affair with Trump. She was reportedly paid $150,000 to keep quiet.

Fox News Digital's Greg Wehner contributed to this update.

(Getty Images)

David Pecker, former CEO of American Media, Inc., and publisher of the tabloid magazine National Inquirer, changed his testimony Friday about when he first heard the term "catch and kill."

"Catch and kill" is a tabloid industry term that refers to the practice of buying the rights to a story without ever publishing it.

Pecker told New York prosecutor Joshua Steinglass Friday afternoon that "catch and kill” was not a term used with former President Donald Trump.

Pecker said he first heard the term from federal prosecutors. But the prosecution referred to the 2016 article in the Wall Street Journal that reported the National Inquirer paid for former Playboy model Karen McDougal's story that she had an affair with Trump, which reads, "Squashing stories that day is known in the tabloid world as 'catch in kill.'

Pecker then changed his testimony that the first he heard of “catch and kill” in the press.

Fox News' Grace Taggart contributed to this update.

(Getty Images)

The hush money trial against former President Donald Trump has resumed shortly after 2:00 p.m. on Friday after a lunch break.

Former American Media, Inc., CEO David Pecker will continue to be questioned by New York prosecutor Joshua Steinglass.

Defense attorney Emil Bove is expected to also cross-examine the ex-tabloid publisher.

Earlier in the day the defense set out to highlight inconsistencies in Pecker's recollection of key events in an effort to show hey may not be a credible witness. Trump's lawyers also asked questions that emphasized the financial motives behind AMI's decision to purchase the rights to Karen McDougal's story about her alleged affair with Trump. 

The decisions Pecker made, the defense attempted to show the jury, were based on what was best for AMI and not what was best for the Trump presidential campaign.

As for articles in the National Enquirer that attacked Trump's political opponents, Pecker testified that the information reported was not original to the Enquirer and had been publicly reported previously.

Fox News Digital's Chris Pandolfo contributed to this update.

(Getty Images)

American Media Inc., - or AMI – is a parent company and publisher of celebrity, health, and fitness outlets like Star, Shape, and the tabloid magazine National Inquirer. 

David Pecker was the CEO of AMI until summer 2020. Pecker is a a longtime friend of former President Trump. He recently testified about the “catch-and-kill” scheme to hide allegations of a past affair that surfaced when then-candidate Trump was running for the White House in 2016. 

According to Pecker, he told Trump and his personal lawyer at the time, Michael Cohen, that he would be their “eyes and ears” for any negative stories that could crop up during the campaign. 

One of those stories is now part of the driving force behind Trump’s hush money trial. Pecker previously admitted to working with Trump’s team to purchase and suppress a story from former Playboy model Karen McDougal about claims of a 2006 affair with Trump. She was reportedly paid $150,000 to keep quiet. Pecker was granted immunity in 2018 after working with prosecutors on their hush money case against Cohen. 

On Friday, The defense set out to highlight inconsistencies in Pecker's recollection of key events in an effort to show hey may not be a credible witness. Trump's lawyers also asked questions that emphasized the financial motives behind AMI's decision to purchase the rights to Karen McDougal's story about her alleged affair with Trump.  

The decisions Pecker made, the defense attempted to show the jury, were based on what was best for AMI and not what was best for the Trump presidential campaign. As for articles in the National Enquirer that attacked Trump's political opponents, Pecker testified that the information reported was not original to the Enquirer and had been publicly reported previously. 

Prosecutors will continue to ask Pecker questions when court resumes at 2:15 p.m. after a lunch break. 

Fox News Digital's Greg Wehner contributed to this report.

President Biden said he would be "happy" to debate former President Trump on Friday during an interview with radio host Howard Stern.

"I am, somewhere, I don’t know when. I'm happy to debate him," Biden said, after Stern said he didn't know whether Biden would participate in a debate.

In a response after his criminal trial recessed for lunch, Trump eagerly challenged Biden to debate as soon as possible, even tonight in front of the Manhattan courthouse.   

"Crooked Joe Biden just announced that he’s willing to debate! Everyone knows he doesn’t really mean it, but in case he does, I say, ANYWHERE, ANYTIME, ANYPLACE, an old expression used by Fighters," Trump posted on Truth Social.

"I suggest Monday Evening, Tuesday Evening, or Wednesday Evening at my Rally in Michigan, a State that he is in the process of destroying with his E.V. Mandate," the presumptive Republican nominee continued. "In the alternative, he’s in New York City today, although probably doesn’t know it, and so am I, stuck in one of the many Court cases that he instigated as ELECTION INTERFERENCE AGAINST A POLITICAL OPPONENT - A CONTINUING WITCH HUNT! It’s the only way he thinks he can win. In fact, let’s do the Debate at the Courthouse tonight - on National Television, I'll wait around!" 

Former President Trump's criminal trial is in recess after defense attorneys finished their cross-examination of former American Media Inc. (AMI) CEO David Pecker. 

The defense set out to highlight inconsistencies in Pecker's recollection of key events in an effort to show hey may not be a credible witness. Trump's lawyers also asked questions that emphasized the financial motives behind AMI's decision to purchase the rights to Karen McDougal's story about her alleged affair with Trump. 

The decisions Pecker made, the defense attempted to show the jury, were based on what was best for AMI and not what was best for the Trump presidential campaign. 

As for articles in the National Enquirer that attacked Trump's political opponents, Pecker testified that the information reported was not original to the Enquirer and had been publicly reported previously.

Prosecutors will continue to ask Pecker questions when court resumes at 2:15 p.m. after a lunch break. 

David Pecker is questioned during former U.S. President Donald Trump's criminal trial on charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, in Manhattan state court in New York City, U.S. April 23, 2024 in this courtroom sketch.(REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg)

Defense attorney Emil Bove questioned ex-tabloid publisher David Pecker about the latter's meetings with the FBI amid a since-closed federal probe into the payments made to Karen McDougal and Stormy Daniels. 

Pecker testified that the FBI approached him in April 2018. He said agents arrived at his home and searched his phone. Pecker said he could not recall the number of times he met with the FBI after that but confirmed it was at least one meeting.

Asked if those meetings were stressful, Pecker said his attorney was present and that he "felt good." 

Bove also asked about an apparent inconsistency in Pecker's testimony. Pecker testified yesterday that Trump thanked him for his help in suppressing an unsubstantiated story about former President Trump fathering a child with a Trump Tower maid.

But according to notes cited by Bove in court, Pecker had previously told federal authorities that Trump did not express any gratitude to him or American Media during the meeting.

Pecker insisted that what he said in court was the truth.

“I know what the truth is,” he said.

Fox News' Maria Paronich and the Associated Press contributed to this update.

The defense introduced a Wall Street Journal article published shortly before the 2016 election that revealed the National Enquirer had endorsed Trump and was supporting his presidential campaign.

"Since last year, the Enquirer has supported Mr. Trump’s presidential bid, endorsing him and publishing negative articles about some of his opponents," the Wall Street Journal reported in 2016, noting that then-candidate Donald Trump and former American Media Inc. CEO David Pecker were "longtime friends." 

Newspapers routinely endorse presidential candidates and cover their opponents with a negative slant. The defense's point was to show the Enquirer acted like any other publication.

For example, here's how the New York Times endorsed Hillary Clinton in 2016: 

"In any normal election year, we’d compare the two presidential candidates side by side on the issues. But this is not a normal election year. A comparison like that would be an empty exercise in a race where one candidate — our choice, Hillary Clinton — has a record of service and a raft of pragmatic ideas, and the other, Donald Trump, discloses nothing concrete about himself or his plans while promising the moon and offering the stars on layaway. (We will explain in a subsequent editorial why we believe Mr. Trump to be the worst nominee put forward by a major party in modern American history.)

"But this endorsement would also be an empty exercise if it merely affirmed the choice of Clinton supporters. We’re aiming instead to persuade those of you who are hesitating to vote for Mrs. Clinton — because you are reluctant to vote for a Democrat, or for another Clinton, or for a candidate who might appear, on the surface, not to offer change from an establishment that seems indifferent and a political system that seems broken."

Fox News Legal Editor Kerri Kupec contributed to this update.

National Enquirer tabloid newspapers are arranged for a photograph at a newsstand in Louisville, Kentucky, U.S., on Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019. (Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Defense attorneys questioned former American Media Inc. CEO David Pecker about the editorial process of his tabloid, the National Enquirer, and whether the company buried Karen McDougal's story to help Trump's campaign. 

The point of the questions was to show that the Enquirer was motivated by profits, not politics, when it purchased the rights to McDougal's story about her alleged affair with Trump.

Trump attorney Emil Bove asked Pecker about the August 2015 meeting with Michael Cohen at Trump Tower and Pecker testified that prior to that meeting the Enquirer was already running negative stories about Bill and Hillary Clinton because it sold papers. 

"Running those stories was good for [American Media Inc.]," Pecker said. 

Bove introduced several examples of the Enquirer running negative stories about Trump's opponents in the 2016 Republican primary, including Ben Carson and Ted Cruz. The attorney noted that some of the information in those articles was publicly available and published in other outlets, including The Guardian.

Pecker agreed with Bove that recycling material with a new angle is quick, easy and good for business. Pecker testified the Enquirer would've ran those stories even if he hadn't discussed it with Trump. 

This line of questioning builds the defense team's narrative that negative stories about Trump's opponents were in the public domain, and other outlets covered them well before American Media Inc. If those other publications aren't being charged with campaign violations, the reasoning goes, why should Trump be for working with AMI? 

Fox News' Todd Piro contributed to this update.

Criminal defense attorney Mark Eiglarsh explained Friday that prosecutors face a difficult task of making the jury understand what the crime is former President Trump is accused of. 

Joining "America's Newsroom," Eiglarsh said most juries can wrap their heads around crimes like murder or rape. But in this case, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office alleges Trump falsified business records in "furtherance of another crime" that until the trial was not made clear.

"In this particular case, you're looking at them to see whether they understand this at all. They come into this thinking, well, wait, what's the crime exactly? And why should we care? And I think that there's a problem right now with the prosecution being able to show that what was done was unlawful," Eiglarsh said. 

New York prosecutor Joshua Steinglass on Tuesday said the other crime was a violation of a New York law called "conspiracy to promote or prevent election." Prosecutors questioned former tabloid publisher David Pecker about a "catch and kill" scheme to have his publication purchase the rights to Karen McDougal's story about her alleged affair with Trump and then bury the story. 

But Pecker testified Thursday that his publication did the same thing for other celebrities including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Rahm Emanuel. 

"You're getting Pecker as an expert defense witness to say, for over 17 years this was commonplace. Buying stories wasn't just because of an election, we did it all the time on behalf of Trump, but so did many celebrities. And it doesn't mean the stories were true," Eiglarsh said. "It's the cost of doing business when you're a celebrity, because people are constantly looking for cash grabs, or because you might have done something a little questionable and you got to buy that out because it'll hurt your brand or it'll affect your home life, or it might even affect an election."

Fox News contributor Jonathan Turley cautioned that it may not be an advantage for former President Trump's legal team that there are two attorneys present in the jury pool. 

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's prosecutors allege that Trump committed a felony by falsifying business records in "furtherance of another crime." New York prosecutor Joshua Steinglass on Tuesday said the other crime was a violation of a New York law called "conspiracy to promote or prevent election."

"This case has no crime that is discernable," Turley said on "America's Newsroom," criticizing prosecutors. 

He cautioned however that if members of the jury feel compelled to express doubts about the district attorney's case against Trump, the attorneys present in the jury pool might "weigh in at that moment" and "silence those dissenting voices." 

"That's why I think it's a bad idea and I don't think it's a good thing to have two attorneys on this jury," Turley said. 

Former President Donald Trump appears at Manhattan criminal court before his trial in New York, Friday, April 26, 2024. (Jeenah Moon/Pool Photo via AP)

Former President Trump filed another complaint about the "freezing courthouse" on Friday and speculated that the temperature was being kept low on purpose.

"They don't seem to be able to get the temperature up," Trump said. "It shouldn't be that complicated. But we have a freezing courthouse and that's fine, that's just fine."

Trump's attorneys have asked Judge Juan Merchan if something can be done about the temperature, but the judge declined. Last week he apologetically explained that the old courthouse has two modes: chilly or sweltering, and that it'd be better to be cold than hot.

Trump attorney Todd Blanche asked the judge if it were possible to increase the temperature by "just one degree." 

“It is cold, there’s no question it is cold, but I’d rather be a little cold than sweaty, and really those are the choices,” the judge said, according to a pool report. “I agree with you it’s chilly, no question.”

Prosecutor Christopher Conroy argued Thursday that former President Donald Trump allegedly violated a gag order four additional times, for a total of 14 violations. 

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office has asked Judge Juan Merchan to hold Trump in contempt of court for allegedly violating an order which prohibits Trump from commenting on likely witnesses in his criminal trial. The judge has yet to rule on the request.

In documents filed Thursday, Conroy outlined four additional alleged violations that happened this week when Trump made statements to the press between his court appearances. The prosecutor pointed to comments Trump made to a local Pennsylvania news station about his former attorney Michael Cohen, who is expected to testify at trial later on.

"Well, Michael Cohen is a convicted liar and he's got no credibility whatsoever. He was a lawyer and you rely on your lawyers. But Michael Cohen was a convicted liar. He was a lawyer for many people, not just me. And he got in trouble because of things outside of what he did for me, largely, it was essentially all because what he did in terms of campaign I don't think there was anything wrong with that with the charges that they made. But what he did is he did some pretty bad things, I guess, with banking or whatever if that was a personal thing to him," Trump said on Monday. 

Conroy called this a "knowing and willful statement" that violated Merchan's gag order. The prosecutor also noted statements Trump made about David Pecker, a former tabloid publisher who will resume cross examination today.

"He's been very nice. I mean, he's been — David's been very nice. A nice guy," Trump said on Thursday. 

At trial, Conroy told the judge that Trump was sending a message to Pecker, instructing him to "be nice" else Trump would use his platform to "say things like I said about Cohen." 

Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo speaks in DOJ video. (Department of Justice/YouTube)

The prosecutor whose opening statement kicked off the historic trial of Former President Donald Trump left a lofty perch in the Biden administration Justice Department for his current comparatively modest New York City job – a career move that legal analysts describe as puzzling and one that's prompted questions regarding motivation.

Even though Matthew Colangelo is only now sitting in a courtroom formally opposing the former president, his work has for years involved investigating Trump and his businesses, despite working for different prosecutorial offices at varying levels of government. Colangelo's sudden switch from top DOJ official to a role with the DA's office in the Big Apple has particularly raised eyebrows.

"It's very odd. It’s usually the other way around. . . . And frankly, that sounds to me like somebody who thought, 'Ah, here's an opportunity to go and get Donald Trump,'" attorney and former member of the Federal Election Commission, Hans von Spakovsky, told Fox News Digital in a phone interview this month. 

It's rare to see successful, ambitious attorneys willingly climb several steps down the career ladder, experts note.

"It is a little unusual," Heritage Foundation senior legal fellow Zack Smith said of Colangelo’s career moves. "Particularly, the position he had at the Justice Department was a fairly high ranking one . . . he spent some time in the New York Attorney General's office, he also spent some time as a career staffer in the DOJ Civil Rights Division. He was in leadership in the Justice Department, and then immediately from that leadership position — an acting leadership position — went to the DA’s office."

Fox News Digital's Emma Colton contributed to this update.

Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker speaks from the witness stand during former U.S. President Donald Trump's criminal trial on charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, in Manhattan state court in New York City, U.S. April 22, 2024 in this courtroom sketch. (REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg)

Former American Media Inc. (AMI) CEO David Pecker told the court that former President Trump had an agreement with Stormy Daniels and every time she said his name she would have to pay a $1 million penalty.

One of the exhibits presented in court was a Wall Street Journal article from Jan. 12, 2018, which revealed Michael Cohen paid Daniels to stay quiet. The evidence was presented, “not for the truth, but to show that it was printed on that date.”

Fast-forwarding to March 2018, Steinglass brought up an interview between Karen McDougal and Anderson Cooper, which Pecker remembered taking place around March 18, 20218.

The day after the interview, Pecker claimed, Trump called him.

“Did you see the interview last night with Anderson Cooper and Karen McDougal? I thought you had, and we had, an agreement that she can’t give any interviews or be on any television shows,” Pecker recalled Trump saying.

“Yes, we have an agreement, but I amended it to allow her to speak to the press,” Pecker said he told Trump.

Pecker testified that Trump got upset.

Pecker also talked about another call between Trump, Hope Hicks and Sarah Huckabee Sanders, where he mentioned he was going to extend Karen’s contract because they had not fulfilled some of the obligations.

Trump allegedly told him it was a bad idea but later told him, “It’s your business, do whatever you plan on doing.”

McDougal filed a lawsuit against AMI in March 2018 and wanted out of the NDA. The lawsuit was ultimately settled. Pecker said when he communicated the lawsuit with Cohen, he thought it was a bad idea. Still, Pecker told Cohen he did not want to continue with the lawsuit and was giving McDougal back her rights.

Pecker also told Cohen he was planning to sell back the rights because McDougal was upset.

Also, while on the stand, Pecker said he watched the Anderson Cooper and Stormy Daniels interview. Afterward, Trump called and asked if he saw the interview.

“We have an agreement with Stormy that she cannot mention my name or do anything like this,” Pecker claimed Trump said. “Anytime she breaches the agreement it’s a $1 million penalty. Based on that interview, she owes $24 million.”

Former US president and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump leaves Trump Tower to attend his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments linked to extramarital affairs in New York, on April 22, 2024. Donald Trump's unprecedented criminal trial is set for opening statements after final jury selection ended Friday, leaving the Republican presidential candidate facing weeks of hostile testimony that will overshadow his White House campaign. (CHARLY TRIBALLEAU/AFP via Getty Images)

Former President Donald Trump lauded the first witness in his trial in Manhattan, former tabloid publisher David Pecker, as a "nice guy" earlier Thursday ahead of court. 

"He’s been very nice. David’s been very nice. He’s a nice guy," Trump told the media while meeting with construction crews in the city early Thursday morning. 

Pecker is the prosecution team's first witness in the NY v. Trump case, where the 45th president is facing 34 charges of falsifying business records. 

Pecker is the former CEO of American Media Inc., the parent company of publications such as the National Enquirer, who has known Trump stretching back to the 1980s. The former media publisher took the stand earlier this week, where he testified regarding "catch and kill schemes" to allegedly bury negative information about Trump ahead of the 2016 election. 

"Catch-and-kill" schemes are understood as tactics used by media and publishing companies to buy the rights of a person’s story with no intention of publishing it. The NY v. Trump case specifically revolves around a payment of $130,000 given to former pornographic actress Stormy Daniels by former Trump personal attorney in 2016 to allegedly silence her claims she had an extramarital affair with Trump in 2006. 

Pecker testified Thursday that he first heard of Daniels' claims of a sexual affair with Trump after the notorious "Access Hollywood" tape was unearthed ahead of the election in 2016. He said that Daniels was selling rights to her story for $120,000, which Pecker said the media company could not afford. 

"I am not a bank," Pecker said he told National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard of the tip and sale of Daniels' story. Howard then told Pecker he would contact Cohen about the matter, Pecker said. 

Prosecutors allege that after Cohen paid Daniels in exchange for silence on the alleged affair, Trump fraudulently logged reimbursements to the personal lawyer as legal expenses. Prosecutors in the case are trying to prove that Trump falsified business records in "furtherance of another crime." The DA's office said the other crime is the violation of a New York law against "conspiracy to promote or prevent election."

Fox News Digital's Emma Colton contributed to this update.

David Pecker is questioned during former U.S. President Donald Trump's criminal trial on charges that he falsified business records to conceal money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, in Manhattan state court in New York City, U.S. April 23, 2024 in this courtroom sketch. (REUTERS/Jane Rosenberg)

David Pecker testified Thursday that he purchased stories about professional golfer Tiger Woods, former Obama chief of staff Rahm Emanuel, among others during questioning by defense attorneys for former President Trump. 

Pecker is the first witness called to the stand by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office. 

Pecker is the former CEO of American Media Inc., the parent company of publications such as the National Enquirer, who has known Trump stretching back to the 1980s. Prosecutors allege that Pecker worked closely with the Trump campaign to bury negative information about Trump ahead of the 2016 election. Trump is accused of falsifying records related to the alleged "catch and kill" scheme.

Pecker testified that he purchased negative stories about Trump before the 2016 election and did not publish them — known as a "catch and kill" scheme. The stories included allegations from adult film actress Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal about affairs with Trump. 

With regard to negative stories coming out about Trump before the election, Pecker testified that Trump was concerned about what his family would say about it, specifically about how it would impact his wife Melania Trump and daughter Ivanka Trump. 

Pecker also testified that Trump was concerned about what the impact would be on his campaign in 2016. 

But under cross-examination by Trump defense attorney Emil Bove, Pecker testified he purchased stories about other high-profile individuals besides Trump. 

Pecker testified he purchased a story about professional golfer Tiger Woods, and a story about Rahm Emanuel in 2009 after he left the Obama White House. Pecker said he purchased the story about an alleged affair Emanuel had so that it would not be published. Emanuel also later served as ambassador to Japan. 

Pecker also testified that he worked with Trump attorney Michael Cohen in his capacity as the former president’s personal attorney — not as part of the 2016 campaign. 

Fox News Digital's Brooke Singman contributed to this update.

While Donald Trump was on trial in Manhattan, the U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments on the former president's claims of presidential immunity.

In nearly three hours of debate on Thursday, the high court wrestled with this question: "Whether and if so to what extent does a former president enjoy presidential immunity from criminal prosecution for conduct alleged to involve official acts during his tenure in office?"

Special Counsel attorney Michael Dreeben argued that U.S. presidents cannot enjoy blanket immunity from criminal prosecution Thursday. Trump attorney John Sauer contended that prosecuting a president for official acts while in office is “incompatible” with the U.S. Constitution. 

Over the course of questioning, the justices seemed generally split along ideological lines. 

"If the potential for criminal liability is taken off the table, wouldn't there be a significant risk that future presidents would be emboldened to commit crimes with abandon while they're in office?" Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson asked in an exchange with Trump’s lawyer, John Sauer.

"Once we say, ‘No criminal liability, Mr. President, you can do whatever you want,’ I'm worried that we would have a worse problem than the problem of the president feeling constrained to follow the law while he's in office," Jackson said. 

Conversely, Justice Samuel Alito questioned whether limiting immunity for a former president would send the country into a destabilizing cycle.

"If an incumbent who loses a very close, hotly contested election knows that a real possible after leaving office is not that the president is going to be able to go off into a peaceful retirement, but that the president may be criminally prosecuted by a bitter political opponent, will that not lead us into a cycle that destabilizes the functioning of our country as a democracy? And we can look around the world and find countries where we have seen this process, where the loser gets thrown in jail," Alito remarked. 

"We're writing a rule for the ages," Justice Neil Gorsuch later stated. 

A decision in the case is expected early this summer. 

Fox News Digital's Brianna Herlihy and Anders Hagstrom contributed to this update.

David Pecker, chair and CEO of American Media, speaks at the Shape and Men's Fitness Super Bowl Party in New York City, U.S., January 31, 2014. REUTERS/Marion Curtis/File Photo

Tabloid publisher David Pecker is known as a longtime friend of former President Trump. He recently testified about the “catch-and-kill” scheme to hide allegations of a past affair that surfaced when then-candidate Trump was running for the White House in 2016.

Pecker was the CEO of American Media until summer 2020, during which time he was publisher of news outlets like the National Enquirer, Men’s Fitness, and Star.

According to Pecker, he told Trump and his personal lawyer at the time, Michael Cohen, that he would be their “eyes and ears” for any negative stories that could crop up during the campaign.

One of those stories is now part of the driving force behind Trump’s hush money trial. Pecker previously admitted to working with Trump’s team to purchase and suppress a story from former Playboy model Karen McDougal about claims of a 2006 affair with Trump. She was reportedly paid $150,000 to keep quiet. 

Pecker was granted immunity in 2018 after working with prosecutors on their hush money case against Cohen.