Michael Cohen recounted listening to a 2016 phone call between then-National Enquirer publisher David Pecker and Trump regarding Karen McDougal's story.

"He had the call put through, and he had a speaker box on his desk. Instead of lifting up the phone, he used the speaker box so I was able to hear," Cohen recounted. "He asked him how things were going with the matter, and David said we have this under control and we will -- we will take care of this."

"David had stated that it was going to cost them $150,000 to control the story -- to which Mr. Trump replied, 'No problem. I will take care of it.'"

According to Cohen, National Enquirer parent AMI would make the original $150,000 payment, with the plan for Trump to later reimburse them.

Jurors briefly saw text messages between Cohen and Trump staffer Keith Schiller on June 16, 2016, in which Cohen said he was trying to contact Trump through Schiller to update him on the Karen McDougal situation.

"Where's the boss?" Cohen texted.

Jurors then saw text messages between Cohen and National Enquirer Editor Dylan Howard, who met McDougal in person to vet her allegations on June 20, 2016.

"Understood, I got this locked down for you, I won't let it out of my grasp," Howard texted Cohen.

Cohen said he later had a call with Howard and National Enquirer publisher David Pecker to learn about the McDougal meeting.

"That they believed that they had this control, as Dylan had stated to me," Cohen said about what he learned on the call.

In court, the jury is focused as Cohen recounts the catch and kill efforts. Earlier, some jurors had laughed and flashed a smile at Cohen's jokes, but they have now returned to their familiar serious faces. Many appear to be taking notes and they're often looking at Cohen and prosecutor Susan Hoffinger as she questions him.

Michael Cohen said he contacted Trump "Immediately after I got off the phone with AMI" about former Playboy playmate Karen McDougal shopping her story that she had a year-long affair with Trump, which he denied.

"Hey boss, I got to talk to you," Cohen recounted telling Trump. "I told him about what I had just learned. I asked him if he knew who Karen McDougal was, knows anything about the story."

"His response was, 'She's really beautiful.' I said, OK, but right now there's a story that's being shopped."

According to Cohen, Trump directed him to "make sure it doesn't get released."

Michael Cohen told jurors that he kept Donald Trump in the loop about his effort to kill a false story about Trump having a child out of wedlock, which was shopped by former Trump doorman Dino Sajudin.

"I provided him with all the information," Cohen said about his conversation with Trump.

"He told me to make sure that the story does not get out. You handle it," Trump said according to Cohen. "He asked me to speak to [the two employees] and let them know it was taken care of."

Pecker said he worked with David Pecker and Dylan Howard of the National Enquirer, who purchased the life rights to the story.

"Did you tell them that Mr Trump would be grateful?" Hoffinger asked.

"Absolutely," Cohen said.

Cohen said he offered feedback on AMI's contract with Sajudin, suggesting they add a $1 million penalty if Sajudin breached the contract.

When Cohen first became aware of Sajudin's claim, Cohen said, "I went to [Trump] immediately to advise him that there was a story -- because it was a negative story for him -- and to get his direction on what he wanted me to do."

Cohen said he shared the news of Sajudin's contract with Trump to keep him in the loop and "in order to get credit for accomplishing the task."

"What was Mr. Trump's reaction when you told him that?" Hoffinger asked.

"That's great," Cohen said Trump responded.

Following the mid-afternoon break, defense attorney Todd Blanche continued to press Michael Cohen on his motives for cooperating with the Manhattan DA's investigation that led to this trial.

Blanche asked Cohen about what happened in 2019 when the DA's investigators visited him in federal prison, where he was serving time for his role in the Stormy Daniels payout and other charges.

"One of the first things you wanted to talk to the prosecutors about was ... what is the benefit to you?" Blanche asked, noting that Cohen had told the prosecutors he had been "screwed" by the system.

"You wanted to know why you should meet with them, which is fair, right?" Blanche asked. "You wanted to know what the benefit was to you for being there, correct?"

"Correct," said Cohen.

Blanche then brought up what is known as a Rule 35, which "gives the judge a right to give you a lower sentence if certain things happen like cooperation." He noted it had to be made within one year.

"Do you remember a conversation where your lawyers asked the district attorney whether they would be willing to help with the rule 35 motion in federal court?" Blanche asked.

"I believe so, yes," Cohen said.

Blanche suggested that timing was of the essence because he was sentenced in December 2018, meaning the clock was clicking to file a Rule 35 motion.

Cohen's Rule 35 motion was eventually denied. He subsequently completed his sentence in 2021.