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.

Michael Cohen testified that he made a recording to prove to National Enquirer publisher David Pecker that Trump would repay him the $150,000 for Karen McDougal's catch-and-kill arrangement.

"I also wanted him to remain loyal to Mr. Trump," Cohen added.

Cohen said he walked into Trump's office with his phone in his hand, making the recording.

Cohen told the jury that you can hear Trump, himself, and Trump assistant Rhona Graff on the recording.

Asked whether he thought Trump knew he was recording the conversation, Cohen said: "No, ma'am."

Jurors then heard the recording.

Cohen: Told you about Charleston. I need to open up a company for the transfer of all of that info regarding our friend, David, you know, so that -- I'm going to do that right away. I've actually come up and I've spoken --

Trump: Give it to me and get me a --

Cohen: And, I've spoken to Allen Weisselberg about how to set the whole thing up with --

Trump: So, what do we got to pay for this? One-fifty?

Cohen: -- funding. Yes. And it's all the stuff.

Trump: Yes, I was thinking about that.

Cohen: All the stuff. Because -- here, you never know where that company, you never know what he's --

Trump: Maybe he gets hit by a truck

Cohen: Correct. So, I'm all over that. And, I spoke to Allen about it, when it comes time for the financing, which will be --

Trump: Listen, what financing?

Cohen: We'll have to pay him something.

Trump: (INAUDIBLE) pay with cash.

Cohen: No, no, no, no, no, I got it.

Trump: Check.

Every member of the jury appeared to look down at their monitor to read along with the transcript of the call as it was played. Cohen, as the call played, shook his head "no" over and over again on the witness stand, apparently in disbelief at rehearing it.

At one point he looked over in Trump's direction and sighed as the recording continued, then looked over to the jury to watch them take it in.

DA Alvin Bragg appeared to close his eyes and dropped his head as the call played.