Former President Trump's attorney Emil Bove began his cross-examination of former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker by seeking to painting Pecker and Trump's "mutually beneficially" relationship as one that had nothing to do with the election but rather had been underway for years under a "standard operating procedure."

"Seventeen years of providing President Trump with a heads-up about potentially negative publicity?" Bove asked Pecker.

"That's correct," Pecker said.

Bove asked Pecker about the first time he ever provided Trump with information -- which Pecker testified was in the 1990s and related to a negative story about Marla Maples, Trump's ex-wife.

"Fair to say that predated the Trump Tower meeting by a long time?" Bove asked of Pecker and Trump's relationship.

"Yes," Pecker said.

"A lot of interactions?" Bove asked.

"Yes," Pecker responded.

Pecker also testified about buying and suppressing stories for other individuals, such as one for former Rep. Rahm Emanuel for $20,000.

Bove also sought to show that kind of relationship between publishers and politicians was normal, saying there was "nothing wrong about" it.

"You are aware many politicians work with the media to try to promote their image?" Bove asked.

"Yes," Pecker responded.

"That's standard operating procedure?" Bove again asked.

"Yes," Pecker said.

"And sometimes when politicians are doing that, that is to try to win elections?" Bove continued.

"Right," Pecker responded.

"Nothing wrong about that?" Bove asked.

"No," Pecker responded.

Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker concluded his direct examination by offering kind words about the former president.

"I felt that Donald Trump was my mentor. He helped me throughout my career," Pecker said, detailing how Trump reached out to help after one of Pecker's employees died from an anthrax attack in 2001.

"The first person who called me if I needed help was Donald Trump, and he was very helpful," Pecker said.

Pecker confirmed that he has not spoken to Trump since early 2019, though the former president sent his regards through mutual friends who saw the former president at Mar-a-Lago.

"I thought the investigation that was going on at the same time -- I thought it was inappropriate to respond or have any conversations with Mr. Trump," Pecker said.

Pecker said he still considers Trump to be a friend.

"I have no ill will at all," Pecker said about Trump. "Even though we haven't spoke … I still consider him a friend."

When former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker received a letter from the Federal Election Commission in September 2018, "I called up Michael Cohen immediately," Pecker said.

Cohen said he had also received a letter from the FEC -- but urged Pecker not to fret.

"He says,' Why are you worried?' He said, 'Jeff Sessions is the attorney general and Donald Trump has him in his pocket,'" Pecker testified.

Pecker then described the non-prosecution agreement his company, AMI, struck with federal prosecutors in Manhattan, which included details about the catch-and-kill arrangement he had brokered with Cohen.

Pecker read for the jury passages from the non-prosecution agreement, including a reference to AMI's deal to pay Karen McDougal -- described in the agreement only as "the model" -- for her story, "so as to prevent it from influencing the presidential election."

After court resumed for the afternoon session, David Pecker retook the stand.

The former National Enquirer publisher testified that six months after Donald Trump became president, Trump hosted a "thank-you dinner" for Pecker and some of his business associates.

After taking photos in the Oval Office -- "Jared Kushner was there, Sean Spicer was there" Pecker said -- Trump asked Pecker to walk with him along the colonnade "past the Rose Garden," Pecker recalled. The jury saw a photo of the two men on that walk.

Trump said that on that walk, Trump asked Pecker, "How's Karen doing?" referring to Karen McDougal, who the National Enquirer had paid to catch-and-kill her story claiming a year-long relationship with Trump.

"She's doing well. She's quiet. All's going good," Pecker recalled responding.

Eight months later, in March 2018, Pecker said Trump called him about a television interview McDougal had conducted.

"He said 'Did you see the Anderson Cooper interview with Karen McDougal?' I said yes. He said, 'I thought we had an agreement with Karen that she can't give any interviews or be on any television shows.' So I said yes we have an agreement, but I amended it," said Pecker, who testified earlier that he had done so following the election.

Pecker testified that Trump was very upset. "He couldn't understand why," Pecker said. "He couldn't believe that I did it."

Pecker said Trump also called him after Stormy Daniels appeared on a television interview a short while later.

"He said, 'We have an agreement with Stormy Daniels that she cannot mention my name or do anything like this, and each time she breaches the agreement it's $1 million penalty,'" Pecker said.

Asked to share her responses to the jury questionnaire, one prospective alternate said she wanted to "jump ahead" to Question 34, which asks whether any strong opinions of Trump would interfere with the ability to be fair.

"The last day, after some introspection, I don't think I can be impartial," the woman said. "I had every intention when I first started, but I think after the questions posed to prospective jurors and asking the questions to myself, I don't think I can be impartial."

Judge Merchan excused her without objection from the attorneys.

A prospective alternate who works for the New York City Law Department said in response to a question that she had read Trump's "Art of the Deal." Trump, who appeared to have his eyes closed, opened them right away at that response and looked at the woman.

The woman also said she had been sexually assaulted "a couple of times on the train."

Trump also appeared to have been chewing on something. He has been conferring with defense attorney Emil Bove throughout the more mundane parts of the questionnaire responses.

A chef for a "large hospitality group" said he follows the White House account on Instagram, "so when Mr. Trump was president, obviously I was receiving updates." Trump turned his head to look at the man after he had been slumped over the defense table looking down.