Day 8 of Trump New York hush money trial

Pecker is acknowledging that Karen McDougal was interested in restarting her career.

There was a video presentation that discussed promotional opportunities for McDougal. Money was not discussed at the meeting, Pecker agrees.

Bove also asked Pecker to confirm, "Ms. McDougal was not focused on cash."

Pecker after a long pause says, "money —cash — wasn't the primary portion of the agreement."

She cared more about the other provisions that would help relaunch her career, he confirmed. Pecker agreed there was a legitimate business purpose for the agreement.

In summer 2016, then-Trump attorney Michael Cohen told National Enquirer publisher David Pecker he was looking to work with business mogul Mark Cuban, Pecker testified.

Cohen asked Pecker to send paparazzi to a meeting the attorney had with Cuban, Pecker says.

Defense attorney Emil Bove pushes Pecker to agree that photographing such a meeting would "put a little pressure" on Trump by elevating Cohen. Pecker says Cohen never told him that, but he agrees that it would have been a consequence.

Remember: Cohen's testimony is expected to play a key role in the hush money criminal case, and prosecutors has warned the jury that the defense will "go to great lengths to get you to reject his testimony" by highlighting his past wrongdoing.

Bove is now showing Pecker the AMI agreement with former Playboy model Karen McDougal.

Bove confirms with Pecker that while he testified on direct examination that the promised articles and cover photo provisions were meant to “hide” the actual intention of the agreement to suppress her story, AMI was still on the hook for following through on the legitimate work product.

Pecker is recounting his previous testimony, where Pecker says that Trump told him he did not buy stories because that "always gets out."

Ex-National Enquirer boss David Pecker has been asked to recount a phone call with Donald Trump in which Trump asked about former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who alleged she had an affair with the former president.

In June 2016, Pecker left a company meeting when he was informed by his assistant that he got a call from Trump.

Trump attorney Emil Bove asks if the former publisher recalls telling Trump, "She doesn't want her story published."

"Yes, I remember saying that," Pecker said.

Pecker hesitated at times in the testimony, appearing to lose his train of thought, and explained after one long pause that he "just wanted to make sure" he remembered.

Defense attorney Emil Bove asks ex-National Enquirer publisher David Pecker whether a story from Dino Sajudin, a Trump Tower doorman who was selling information about Donald Trump allegedly fathering a son, could have been "the biggest National Enquirer article ever."

Pecker agrees that it could have been.

Bove then asks, “So if this story was true you were going to run it right.”

Pecker answers, "Uh, yes.”

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass has objected repeatedly when Bove has referred to Donald Trump as President Trump as he discusses events about 2016.

"He wasn't President Trump," Steinglass said.

The judge sustained the objection.

Trump did not react at all during this back and forth. He is leaned back in his chair, his head cocked to look at Pecker, as he's answering questions.

Trump attorney Emil Bove is attempting to use deals American Media Inc. made with other celebrities to undermine the prosecution's argument and normalize the conduct, according to Adam Kaufman, a former executive assistant district attorney at the Manhattan District Attorney's office.

Bove is moving on to former Playboy model Karen McDougal's agreement now.

Pecker confirms that when an amended agreement was signed giving AMI exclusivity rights in perpetuity, Pecker still thought there was a small chance it could be true.

Bove asks, "You could not walk away from that possibility" that it was true, "however small it might be?" Pecker agrees.

Bove is emphasizing that McDougal's main interest was that she didn't want her story published. Pecker agrees.