In the ongoing hush money trial of Donald Trump, former American Media CEO David Pecker detailed his close collaboration with Trump and his lawyer, Michael Cohen, in the lead-up to the 2016 election. Pecker admitted to being instructed on which candidates to attack and provided with negative information to publish about Trump’s rivals. The operation, allegedly aimed at influencing the election, included the payment of $130,000 to porn star Stormy Daniels. Prosecutors argue that this arrangement was illegal, echoing their claims regarding the $30,000 paid to a doorman for suppressing rumors about Trump’s illegitimate child. Pecker’s testimony, along with revelations from former National Enquirer editor Lachlan Cartwright, sheds light on the practice of “catch and kill,” where stories unfavorable to Trump were purchased and shelved.