Banker Gary Farro testified in Donald Trump's hush money trial in New York.
Former President Donald Trump is on trial in New York City, where he is facing felony charges related to a 2016 hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. It marks the first time in history that a former U.S. president has been tried on criminal charges.
Trump last April pleaded not guilty to a 34-count indictment charging him with falsifying business records to hide the reimbursement of a hush money payment his then-attorney Michael Cohen made to Daniels in order to boost his electoral prospects in the 2016 presidential election.
Prosecutors have called Donald Trump's longtime executive assistant Rhona Graff as their next witness.
Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker stepped down from the witness stand after a brief re-cross examination.
Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker retook his seat on the witness stand after lunch, and the jury appeared engaged when prosecutor Josh Steinglass asked Pecker to explain things directly to them. Pecker slightly turned to face the jury when answering.
After the defense, during cross-examination, tried to suggest Pecker didn't want to get involved in the Stormy Daniels story for business and reputational reasons, Steinglass asked him to clarify.
"I said to Michael Cohen that after paying for the doorman story and the Karen McDougal story I wasn't going to pay anything further and I wasn't a bank," Pecker testified. "I told (editor) Dylan Howard there is no possible way that I would buy the story for $120,000 and that I didn't want anything to do with a porn star."
Steinglass asked Pecker, "Why did you reach out to Michael Cohen" about Daniels' claim of a sexual liaison with Trump?
"Based on our original agreement, any stories regarding Mr. Trump that could be embarrassing, I would call Michael Cohen right away," Pecker said.
"You weren't going to print it? You weren't going to pay for it?" Steinglass asked.
"Correct," Pecker responded.
"But you were still going to fulfill your obligation to tell Michael Cohen about it? So the campaign could squash it?" asked Steinglass.
"Yes," Pecker responded.
As he has previously, former President Trump complained on social media this morning that his supporters were being kept from gathering outside the courthouse -- even though that's not the case.
"Security is that of Fort Knox, all so that MAGA will not be able to attend this trial," Trump posted before he entered the courtroom.
But a small group of his supporters demonstrated this morning undisturbed in the designated protest area in the park outside the courthouse, where they've gathered each day of the trial this week.
-ABC News' Brian Hartman
Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, during his redirect examination, reiterated the basic terms of his catch-and-kill arrangement with Donald Trump and Michael Cohen, though he acknowledged he did not use the words "catch-and-kill" during his August 2015 meeting at Trump Tower.
"Did you specifically use the word catch-and-kill during that meeting?" prosecutor Joshua Steinglass asked.
"No, I did not," Pecker said.
"What was your understanding of the part of the agreement that involved money?" Steinglass asked.
"It was my understanding that I would use the company's sources to hear any information that was coming out on Mr. Trump or the campaign related specifically to women who would be selling their stories," Pecker said, referencing a similar arrangement with then-gubernatorial candidate Arnold Schwarzenegger.
"My understanding is [for] those stories that come up, I would speak to Michael Cohen and tell him that these are the stories that are going to be for sale. If we don't buy them someone else will, and that Michael Cohen would buy them or make sure they don't ever get published. That was my understanding from that meeting," Pecker said.
Pecker reiterated that he did not plan to publish the Karen McDougal story -- despite its value to the National Enquirer if it were true -- in order to help the Trump campaign.
"That would kind of be like National Enquirer gold?" Steinglass asked.
"Yes," Pecker responded.
"Zero intention of publishing that story?" Steinglass asked.
"That is correct," Pecker said.
"You killed the story because it helped the candidate Donald Trump?" Steinglass asked.
"Yes," Pecker said.
The proceedings subsequently broke for lunch, with redirect to resume afterward.
