Day 8 of Trump New York hush money trial

Bove is showing the Wall Street Journal story about Karen McDougal published just before the 2016 election, saying it shows that American Media Inc.'s help for Trump was out there.

Bove cites a line in the story that said that since last year, the National Enquirer "has supported Mr Trump's presidential bid, endorsing him and publishing negative articles about some of his opponents."

Bove asks Pecker to confirm that the concept of "catch and kill" was not discussed at the August 2015 meeting at Trump Tower.

Pecker confirms to Bove that Trump and Cohen did not pay AMI any money in connection with the Dino Sajudin story. Sajudin was a former doorman at Trump Tower.

Pecker also confirms that AMI has executed "hundreds of thousands" of source agreements like the ones used for Sajudin and McDougal "over the years."

Bove notes Pecker testified that he wanted to keep the August 2015 meeting discussions "highly, highly confidential" and "quiet" but says it became public before the election. Pecker agrees.

Merchan sustained a prosecutor's objection to that question.

Pecker's voice has become softer as he is responding and agreeing with the defense.

Bove has moved on to the National Enquirer articles about Marco Rubio.

Bove says these articles are also based on information "not exclusive" to the National Enquirer. "Yes," Pecker confirms.

Trump is whispering with attorney Susan Necheles as copies of the article in question are handed out.

Bove is asking Pecker about the negative stories about Trump's primary opponents in the National Enquirer.

Bove confirms with Pecker that it's "standard operating procedure" for the National Enquirer to recycle content from other outlets.

Bove shows the jury five headlines about Ben Carson, an exhibit prosecutors used earlier in the week

Bove asks if Pecker would have done it even without a conversation with Trump. "Yes," Pecker agrees.

Bove confirms with Pecker that other outlets covered malpractice claims against Carson in May 2015, months before the meeting at Trump Tower.

More context: The defense has been trying to poke holes at Pecker's testimony, who is the prosecution's first witness, about his tabloid's "catch-and-kill" methods for suppressing negative stories about Trump that could have harmed his 2016 campaign.

The former president has been accused of taking part in an illegal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 election and an unlawful plan to suppress negative information, which included a hush money payment made to an adult film star to hide an affair. Trump has denied the affair.

Trump attorney Emil Bove is asking David Pecker about an August 2015 meeting at Trump Tower that has become central to this case.

According to Pecker's testimony, the former National Enquirer publisher met with former President Donald Trump and Trump's then-personal attorney Michael Cohen shortly after Trump announced his candidacy.

During the meeting, Pecker agreed to be the “eyes and ears” for Trump’s campaign and flag any negative stories to Cohen.

CNN first reported that Trump was at that meeting in late 2018. Federal prosecutors in Manhattan mentioned the meeting when they charged Cohen that summer with two campaign finance violations.

Trump is once again sitting back in his chair with his eyes closed while witness Pecker is testifying about the August 2015 Trump Tower meeting.

Bove is now asking about stories about Bill and Hillary Clinton stories in the National Enquirer, confirming with Pecker that AMI had decided to run negative stories before the August 2015 Trump Tower meeting.

Bove asks, "Before August 2015 meeting you had decided it made sense for the business of AMI to run articles about Bill and Hillary Clinton? "Yes," Pecker replies as Bove continues to focus on this being in the interest of AMI

Pecker is reviewing a portion of a transcript of his grand jury testimony.

Bove is focusing on the August 2015 meeting.

Former President Donald Trump on Friday continued to make false claims about security and access at the Manhattan courthouse where his criminal hush money trial is taking place, saying “security is that of Fort Knox” and that “MAGA will not be able to attend this trial.” 

“I’m at the heavily guarded Courthouse. Security is that of Fort Knox, all so that MAGA will not be able to attend this trial, presided over by a highly conflicted pawn of the Democrat Party. It is a sight to behold! Getting ready to do my Courthouse presser. Two minutes!” Trump posted on Truth Social. 

While there are various security measures in place around the courthouse, including some street closures enforced by police officers and barricades, people are permitted to drive right up to the front of the courthouse and walk into the building, which remains open to the public. If people show up early enough in the morning, they can even get into the trial courtroom itself or the overflow room that shows near-live video of the proceedings. 

Trump has made several false claims about his supporters not being able to get near the courthouse. The designated protest zone for the trial is at a park directly across the street from the courthouse, and only a handful of Trump supporters have shown up to demonstrate near the building.