Publisher tells Trump trial about Playboy model deal

Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker testified at Donald Trump's criminal trial on April 26 that he worked out a deal that would allow the former US president to buy the silence of a former Playboy model who said she had an affair with him, but called it off.

- 

Mr Pecker, 72, said he signed an agreement with Trump's personal lawyer, Mr Michael Cohen, to assign the rights to the woman's story to a shell company that would hide the fact that Trump's company was paying for it. He said he called off the deal after speaking to a company lawyer.

"Michael Cohen said, "The boss is going to be very angry with you' And I said, 'I'm sorry, I'm not going forward, the deal is off," Mr Pecker testified. "He was very angry, very upset, screaming, basically, at me, Mr Pecker said of Mr Cohen.

Mr Pecker is a key witness in the case against Trump, who is accused of falsifying business records to cover up a hush-money payment to another woman who said she had a sexual encounter with him, porn actress Stormy Daniels.

Prosecutors say Mr Pecker, who has not been charged with a crime, engaged in a conspiracy with Trump and Mr Cohen to corrupt the 2016 election by suppressing unflattering stories.

Mr Pecker testified that after former Playboy model Karen McDougal told his editor that she had a year-long affair with Trump in 2006 and 2007, he advised Trump to buy her silence.

"He said, 'What do you think I should do?' I said, 'I think you should buy the story and take it off the market," Mr Pecker testified.