David Pecker, the former National Enquirertabloid publisher who allegedly engaged in "catch and kill" operations to cover up negative stories about Donald Trump, is expected to be the first witness called by the prosecution in the Stormy Daniels hush money trial, RadarOnline.com has learned.
The New York Timesreports that Pecker will take the stand following the opening arguments. In his testimony, Pecker is expected to "recount for the jury several conversations with Mr. Trump about the hush money, according to a person familiar with the plan."
Pecker allegedly bought exclusive rights to several stories that might embarrass Trump and then never wrote them in order to prevent them from becoming public during the former president's 2016 election campaign.
He reportedly paid $30,000 to a doorman who falsely alleged that Trump had fathered a child out of wedlock and $150,000 to former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who claimed that she had an affair with Trump between 2006 and 2007.
Trump's former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen,who paid porn star Stormy Daniels $130,000 to cover up another alleged affair, is expected to be a key witness for prosecutors.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is also expected to call former Trump aide Hope Hicks, and Trump's White House executive assistant Madeleine Westerhout has been identified as another potential witness.
Trump has said that he plans to testify in his own defense.
Prosecutors have reportedly been hesitant to reveal who will testify, and in what order, due to concerns that Trump will attack witnesses in the case on social media.
Although a judge issued a gag order to prohibit Trump from attacking witnesses and court staff, prosecutors argued in court that Trump has already violated the gag order and urged the judge overseeing the trial to hold him in contempt.
Trump has repeatedly raged against the gag order on social media. "This conflicted, Trump-Hating Judge won’t let me respond to people that are on TV lying and spewing hate all day long. He is running roughshod over my lawyers and legal team," he wrote on Truth Social.
"The New York System of 'Justice' is being decimated by critics from all over the World. I want to speak, or at least be able to respond. Election Interference! RIGGED, UNCONSTITUTIONAL TRIAL! Take off the Gag Order!!!"
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Trump faces 34 felony charges of falsifying business records related to the hush money payments, and if convicted, he could spend more than four years behind bars.
The trial, which began on April 15, is expected to last upward of six weeks.