Testimony of tabloid publisher David Pecker at trial against Donald Trump ended: “Story about affair withheld, even though it cost me a lot”

At the trial of former US President Donald Trump for fraudulently paying hush money to porn actress Stormy Daniels, tabloid publisher David Pecker’s testimony ended after three days on Friday.

Pecker, the tabloid’s former publisher National Enquirer, said on Friday that he withheld the story about Trump’s alleged affair to help his presidential campaign, even though publishing the story would have greatly boosted sales of his magazine. “That cost me a lot of money,” Pecker agreed. “But it would have seriously damaged his chances of election.”

Pecker thus strengthened the argument of the prosecutor, who argues that Trump paid hush money as part of his presidential campaign – one of the charges for which the former president is on trial. According to Trump’s lawyers, this is not correct, and the payments only happened because he wanted to protect his family in this way.

Cross-examination

Trump’s lawyers tried to undermine Pecker’s credibility during cross-examination. However, the man stuck to his version of events. “I know what I said, and I know what I remember,” he said.

Trump is the first former US president to face criminal charges. The trial, expected to last until the end of May, is likely to be the only of four cases against the man to be completed before the November 5 election.