David Pecker, the former National Enquirer publisher, was the first witness in former President Trump's criminal hush money trial, taking the stand multiple times this week.

Why it matters: The influential tabloid media figure is accused by prosecutors of conspiring to influence the 2016 presidential election.

• He told jurors this week how he would suppress stories critical of Trump — referred to as a "catch and kill" scheme — and encourage stories targeting his rivals during the 2016 election.
• Pecker, a longtime friend of Trump, served as CEO of National Enquirer parent company American Media Inc., now A360 Media, from 1999 to 2020.

What Pecker's testimony revealed so far

By Thursday, Pecker told the jury he refused to pay for a story about an affair between Trump and adult film star Stormy Daniels, AP reported.

• Already $180,000 in the hole, he said he told former Trump fixer Michael Cohen: "I didn't want to be involved in this."

He said he had already participated in two other catch-and-kill deals: $150,000 paid to Playboy model Karen McDougal to keep quiet about an affair with Trump and another payout to a former Trump Tower doorman.

Pecker also testified that Trump hosted a "thank you" dinner for him in 2017 at the White House.

Involvement in Trump case

Prosecutors alleged in the indictment against the former president that Pecker met with Trump in 2015, agreed to help his campaign and publish negative stories about his competitors.

• Pecker allegedly helped orchestrate "catch and kill" deals in which he'd buy exclusive rights to negative stories about Trump and then prevent them from becoming public during the 2016 presidential campaign. This includes deals with two women who claimed to have past affairs with Trump.
• Pecker was granted immunity from prosecution by the DOJ in 2018 for providing information to federal prosecutors about the hush money payments.
• The media titan was among dozens investigated by the House Judiciary Committee in 2019 as part of a sweeping probe of Trump and his inner circle.

Witness testimony in hush money trial

Assistant District Attorney Matthew Colangelo, delivering opening statements for the prosecution's side Monday, argued that Pecker was acting as "eyes and ears" for the Trump campaign during the 2016 election, Axios' Erin Doherty reports.

• Colangelo used the phrase multiple times to describe how Pecker used his media empire, America Media, to help Trump's campaign.
• Pecker testified Tuesday that he was asked in 2015 how he and his magazines could help Trump. Ultimately, they reached a "mutually beneficial" arrangement that helped increase ad sales of the Enquirer.
• "I said I would run positive stories about Trump and I would publish negative stories about his opponent," he said. "I said I would also be your eyes and ears because I know that the Trump Organization had a very small staff."
• Prosecutors say Pecker helped carry out a "catch and kill" scheme to bury bad news about Trump.

Go deeper: Prosecutor in Trump hush money case zeroes in on "election fraud"

Editor's note: This story has been updated with new developments from Pecker's testimony and additional details.