Donald Trump 'More Alert' With Eyes 'Wide Open' as One-Time Friend David Pecker Testifies in Court for Day 5 of Criminal Hush Money Trial: Report
Donald Trump was said to be “more alert” with his eyes “wide open” as his former friend, David Pecker, testified in court this week.
April 22 2024, Published 2:05 p.m. ET
Donald Trump was said to be “more alert” with his eyes “wide open” as his former close pal, David Pecker, testified in court this week in the ex-president’s criminal hush money trial, RadarOnline.com has learned.
In the latest development to come after Trump became the first former U.S. president to appear in court on criminal charges this month, the embattled ex-president was said to be “more alert” than usual when Pecker took the stand.
“His eyes are wide open and he's looking in Pecker's direction."
According to NBC News, Trump started “paying attention” on Monday after Pecker took the witness stand to testify for roughly 30 minutes.
“Trump is now more alert, paying attention and is leaning into the defense table,” the outlet reported. “He's speaking with his lawyer Emil Bove in an animated way.”
“His eyes are wide open and he's looking in Pecker's direction,” NBC News reporters Katie Phang and Rebecca Shabad added.
Pecker served as CEO of the National Enquirer tabloid’s parent company, American Media Inc., from 1999 until he resigned from the company in 2020.
Pecker allegedly played a key role in the suspected scheme behind the $130,000 hush money payment to Stormy Daniels.
He allegedly played a key role in the suspected scheme behind the $130,000 hush money payment to Stormy Daniels to cover up an affair that Daniels claimed to have shared with Trump sometime before the 2016 presidential election.
The former American Media Inc. CEO also allegedly helped cover up other damning stories about Trump ahead of the 2016 election.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s team claimed that Pecker and Trump’s former attorney and fixer, Michael Cohen, met with Trump at Trump Tower sometime in 2015 to discuss how Pecker could help quash negative stories about Trump.
The trio allegedly discussed one instance involving Daniels and the $130,000 she was paid by Cohen to not speak publicly about her suspected affair with Trump.
Pecker and Trump’s former, Michael Cohen, allegedly met with Trump at Trump Tower in 2015 to discuss how Pecker could help quash negative stories about Trump.
Federal prosecutors already granted Pecker immunity back in 2018 after the then-America Media Inc. CEO spoke to prosecutors about Cohen’s $130,000 payment to Daniels.
Pecker and America Media Inc. also later admitted to paying another woman – former Playboy model Karen McDougal – $150,000 in 2018 to “catch and kill” an alleged story about her year-long affair with Trump.
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Pecker testified for roughly 30 minutes on Monday before the day’s court proceedings were adjourned for the day so that an alternate juror could attend a previously scheduled dentist appointment.
“We used checkbook journalism and we paid for stories,” Pecker said shortly before court was adjourned on Monday afternoon. “I gave a number to the editors that they could not spend more than $10,000 to investigate, produce or publish a story.”
Pecker and America Media Inc. also later admitted to paying another woman – former Playboy model Karen McDougal – $150,000 in 2018 to “catch and kill” an alleged story about her year-long affair with Trump.
Pecker is expected to return to the witness stand on Tuesday to continue his testimony.
As RadarOnline.com previously reported, ex-President Trump became the first former U.S. president in history to appear in court on criminal charges last week when jury selection began for his criminal hush money trial.
The 45th president is accused of falsifying New York business records to hide hush money payments made to Daniels and McDougal to avoid negative press before the 2016 presidential election.
Jury selection for the case was completed on Friday, and the trial started in full swing on Monday morning with opening statements and the first part of Pecker’s testimony.
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“I’m the leading candidate…and this is what they’re trying to take me off the trail for."
“I’m the leading candidate…and this is what they’re trying to take me off the trail for,” Trump complained after exiting the courtroom on Monday. “Checks being paid to a lawyer.”
“It’s a case as to bookkeeping,” he added, “which is a very minor thing.”
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