Former President Donald Trump, left, watches as David Pecker answers questions on the witness stand, far right, from Assistant District Attorney Joshua Steingless, in Manhattan criminal court, April 23, 2024, in New York.
“No,” Mr. Pecker agreed. The Enquirer paid $30,000 for the story rights but determined it was untrue. Yet Mr. Pecker, under cross-examination by Mr. Trump’s lawyers, said there was no mention of either the term “catch and kill” at the meeting or financial payoffs. He also suggested that many stories saw the light of day — or did not — as a simple matter of tabloid business.
Mr. Bove also highlighted negative stories about Mr. Trump’s GOP opponents, including Ben Carson and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio, that ran in the Enquirer but appeared to use old content from other media outlets.Mr. Trump sat back in his chair and quietly watched the testimony. Four TV monitors in the courtroom let him watch the action from different angles.