Testimony ends for the day in Trump hush money trial

Prosecutors finished their direct questioning of David Pecker Thursday afternoon. He testified for just about six hours over three days for the prosecution.

Pecker, who is the former publisher of the National Enquirer, continued to give details of the repercussions of the “catch-and-kill” schemes to help Donald Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.

Here’s a recap from this afternoon:

The attorneys are at the bench.

Steinglass asked to approach over an objection to Bove's series of questions about Pecker's past testimony relating to Hope Hicks' involvement in the August 2015 Trump Tower meeting.

Bove asked Pecker whether he told agents at a July 2018 interview that Hope Hicks attended the August 2015 meeting with Cohen and Trump.

Steinglass objected to this question, and Judge Juan Merchan sustained the objection.

Bove then tries again. Pecker asks to see what Bove is referring to, where he didn't mention Hicks. Bove is trying to get Pecker to confirm that he did not mention Hicks when he first told prosecutors in 2018 about the August 2015 Trump Tower meeting.

Meanwhile, Trump is sitting with his arms crossed. He and his other attorney Todd Blanche are leaning over to whisper to each other.

The judge, attorneys and Pecker are reviewing a report from a 2018 interview Pecker had with the government.

Bove again seeks to confirm the report does not indicate that Pecker told the government Hicks was at the August 2015 Trump Tower meeting.

Pecker now confirms he didn't mention Hicks being at the August 2015 Trump Tower meeting in the government interview.

Bove asks Pecker to confirm his prior testimony that Michael Cohen was always angling for something for himself.

The former publisher confirmed that Cohen asked Pecker to promote personal business ventures for him and his family throughout the years.

Bove says that Pecker had been working with Cohen for at least 8 years before the August 2015 meeting with Cohen. "Yes," Pecker responds.

He confirmed that in 2015 and 2016, Cohen was always clear that he was Trump's personal attorney and he was not working for the campaign.

Pecker said the most recent meeting he had with prosecutors was a few weeks ago, and he's had about three to five meetings with prosecutors this year.

He said he remembered five to six meetings with federal prosecutors in June, July and August 2018.

Bove then asked a series of questions about how prosecutors prepared Pecker to give "consistent" testimony each time he's testified.

Bove is now focusing on the Trump Tower meeting in August 2015.

Bove confirms with Pecker that he first told prosecutors the Trump Tower meeting was the first week of August in 2015 — prosecutors corrected Pecker in that meeting telling him Trump had a debate so it couldn't have been then.

Pecker says, "I discovered it was the middle of August."

Bove pokes holes at Pecker's memory, suggesting that he was told Trump was away from the city the first week of August 2015. Pecker says he doesn't remember being told that.

Pecker confirms he told the grand jury the meeting happened the first week of August 2015.

Bove challenges him, saying that he now "changed" his testimony about the timing on the stand now at trial.

"I don't mean to put you on the spot" Bove says, adding that it's hard to remember what people said almost 10 years ago.

Bove says there are some things "that your mind fills in the gaps."

"What I’m getting at is these things happened a long time ago. And even when you're doing your best … it’s hard to remember exactly what happened when," Bove says.

Pecker shrugs and says he's testifying to the best of his knowledge to be truthful.

Pecker says, "I didn't feel that I added in language."

Members of the jury are watching Bove and Pecker closely during this cross-examination. Some jurors who are seated closer to the gallery occasionally look out into the gallery at the reporters.

Trump has his arms folded across his body as he watches David Pecker answer Bove's questions.

During cross-examination today, Trump attorney Emil Bove asked the former National Enquirer publisher about stories involving other celebrities and politicians. 

Trump’s attorney sought to establish with David Pecker that AMI used “checkbook journalism” to control narratives in the press and fostered mutually beneficial relationships with several celebrities – not just Trump.

Pecker continued to respond “yes” to most of Bove’s questions, effectively letting the Trump attorney weave a narrative with short responses from the publisher.

CNN has reached out for comment from Arnold Schwarzenegger, Rahm Emanuel, Ari Emanuel, Mark Wahlberg and Tiger Woods.