Speculation has arisen about why Donald Trump has refrained from violating his gag order to attack former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker following his testimony in the hush money trial.
Pecker, the former head of America Media, testified in New York in the trial involving Trump’s alleged falsification of business records. He discussed arranging payments to prevent negative stories about Trump from emerging before the 2016 election.
Under oath, Pecker expressed concerns about the legality of the “catch and kill” tactic, where McDougal was paid $180,000 to suppress a story about her alleged affair with Trump. Trump faces 34 felony counts related to similar payments made to Stormy Daniels.
David Pecker (Credits: Variety)
Prosecutors argue that Trump, Pecker, and Michael Cohen orchestrated a cover-up to influence the 2016 election by concealing negative information about Trump. Trump is under a gag order to prevent public comments about trial witnesses.
Legal experts have noted Trump’s silence regarding Pecker, contrasting it with his attacks on Cohen. They suggest that attacking Pecker would be detrimental to Trump’s case, as Pecker’s testimony supports the prosecution’s narrative.
Former FBI special agent Asha Rangappa suggested that Pecker’s ability to create stories, both positive and negative, about Trump gives him leverage. Trump’s legal team declined to comment on the matter.
Donald Trump (Credits: RFI)
Election lawyer Jerry Goldfeder emphasized the importance of Pecker’s testimony in revealing the scheme to conceal Trump’s behavior before the 2016 election. Trump himself described Pecker’s testimony as “amazing” and reiterated his belief that the trial should never have occurred.
During his testimony, Pecker explained his decision not to publish McDougal’s story to avoid embarrassment for Trump and harm to his campaign. He also stated his refusal to purchase a story about Daniels’ alleged affair, citing his unwillingness to be associated with a porn star.
