Playboy model at the center of Donald Trump’s hush-money lawsuit says she ‘didn’t want to be the next Monica Lewinsky’
A former Playboy model at the center of Donald Trump’s sensational hush money trial said she didn’t want to be the “next Monica Lewinsky.”
As Trump watched from the defendant’s table, a Manhattan court also heard evidence that he had called Karen McDougal, the model, a “nice girl.”
Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying company records to cover up hush money payments.
The alleged scheme involved the National Enquirer magazine, which conducted a “catch and kill” operation ahead of the 2016 election, purchasing the rights to negative stories about Trump and then not publishing them.
This included the story of McDougal, who claimed to have had an affair with Trump between 2006 and 2007. He has denied having an affair.
Former US President Donald Trump (C), sitting with attorneys Emil Bove (L) and Todd Blanche (R), attends his trial for allegedly covering up hush money payments related to extramarital affairs, at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City on April 25, 2024
Karen McDougal attends Playboy’s Super Saturday Night Party at the Sagamore Hotel on February 6, 2010 in Miami Beach, Florida.
Monica Lewinsky attends the Vanity Fair Oscars Party at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts in Beverly Hills, California, on March 10, 2024
In evidence, former National Enquirer boss David Pecker described how he sent magazine executive Dylan Howard to California to interview McDougal in 2016 when her claims first emerged.
He said Michael Cohen, Trump’s lawyer and “fixer,” “was constantly calling me while Dylan Howard was interviewing Karen McDougal in this meeting.”
Pecker later set up a three-way conversation with Howard and Cohen.
Howard said during the phone call that McDougal turned down an offer of $10,000 for her story.
Pecker said, “Dylan said ABC was interested in acquiring the story. He also mentioned that a Mexican group had made a bid for the story for $1 million.
“Michael and I both said they didn’t believe there was a Mexican group that would buy the story.
“ABC offer, they offered Karen a spot on Dancing with the Stars.”
According to Pecker, Howard told them that McDougal did not want her story published.
“She didn’t want to be the next Monica Lewinsky. She wanted to restart her career,” he said.
Lewinsky was a White House intern when she was at the center of a fraud scandal that rocked Bill Clinton’s presidency in the 1990s.
Donald Trump with ex-Playboy model and actress Karen McDougal
A photo showing former White House intern Monica Lewinsky meeting with President Bill Clinton during a White House meeting submitted as evidence in documents by the Starr investigation and released by the House Judicary Committee on September 21 1998
Karen McDougal, the former Playboy model who claims to have had an affair with Donald Trump
Pecker said McDougal was a fitness model and, rather than have her story published, wanted to launch an active clothing line and write for celebrity magazines.
The publisher said he later had a conversation with Trump in New Jersey in June 2016
“I was giving a presentation and an update on our company,” he told the court. “The assistant in the office came into the conference room and said there was a call from you from Donald Trump. I left and took the call.
“Mr. Trump said to me, ‘I talked to Michael. Karen is a nice girl. Is it true that a Mexican group wants to buy the story for eight million dollars?’
‘I said I absolutely don’t believe it. He said, ‘What do you think I should do?’ I said I think you should buy the story and take it off the market.
David Pecker, chairman and CEO of American Media, speaks at the Shape and Men’s Fitness Super Bowl Party in New York City, USA, January 31, 2014
David Pecker is questioned during former US President Donald Trump’s criminal trial on charges that he falsified business records to hide money paid to silence porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016, in Manhattan District Court in New York City , USA, April 23, 2024 in this courtroom sketch
“I believe when Mr. Trump said she was a nice girl, I believe he knew who she was.”
Pecker continued, “I believe this story was true. I think it would have been very embarrassing for him and also for his campaign.”
The tabloid chief said Cohen called him the next day and told him to buy the story. Pecker asked who would pay for it.
He said Cohen told him, “Don’t worry, I’m your friend, the boss will take care of it.”
When asked who the “boss” was, Pecker told the court: “Donald Trump. I would either be reimbursed by the Trump Organization or by Donald Trump.”
Adult film actress Stephanie Clifford, also known as Stormy Daniels, in New York City, New York, USA, April 16, 2018
Pecker was asked if Cohen could have approved the payment of money for the deal.
Pecker said, “I know he (Cohen) did not have any authorization to distribute Trump Organization money. Every time he even went out to eat, I paid.
“I didn’t think he had permission to spend money without Trump’s approval.”
As the deal progressed, he and Cohen spoke at least daily, and Cohen became “very excited,” Pecker said.