Tabloid publisher says he wrangled with Trump over who should buy sex stories

Former U.S. President Donald Trump leaves Manhattan Supreme Court on the 6th day of the hush money trial against him on April 23 2024. Curtis Means/Pool via REUTERS

NEW YORK (Reuters) -Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker testified at Donald Trump's criminal trial on Thursday that he wrangled with Trump and his former lawyer ahead of the 2016 election over who should buy the silence of women who said they had sexual encounters with him.

Pecker's second day of testimony provided further evidence that he worked as Trump's "eyes and ears" to suppress stories which could have hurt the businessman-turned-politician's presidential bid at a time when he was facing multiple accusations of sexual misbehavior.