Ex-Enquirer Publisher Says He and Others Around Trump Feared His Anger

A recurring theme in the testimony of David Pecker, the former publisher of The National Enquirer, has been how people around Donald J. Trump lived in fear of his wrath.

At least three times while testifying in Mr. Trump’s criminal trial on Thursday, Mr. Pecker described Michael D. Cohen, the former president’s fixer and lawyer, as warning him that “the boss” — Mr. Trump — would be angry if Mr. Pecker did not follow through with whatever had been asked of him in that moment.

Notably, Mr. Pecker kept his eyes locked on exhibits and prosecutors while discussing Mr. Trump’s temper, not once glancing over at the former president in the courtroom. Mr. Trump appeared subdued during Mr. Pecker’s testimony, as he has for most of the trial, but at one point, he motioned to the lawyers next to him and crossed his arms over his chest.

Mr. Pecker and Mr. Cohen were in frequent contact during the 2016 presidential campaign, strategizing over how to bury threatening news about Mr. Trump before the November election. In urging Mr. Pecker to kill harmful stories, Mr. Cohen often invoked Mr. Trump’s potential anger as a reason for Mr. Pecker to do what he asked.

Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model who said she had an affair with Mr. Trump, received $150,000 from American Media Inc., The Enquirer’s parent company. When Mr. Pecker voiced concerns about the potentially unlawful implications of the deal, Mr. Cohen had a warning.

“The boss is going to be very angry at you,” Mr. Cohen told Mr. Pecker, he testified Thursday.

Mr. Pecker also testified about warning Mr. Cohen that he, too, needed to avoid Mr. Trump’s temper. Mr. Pecker said he did not want to pay $120,000 that Stormy Daniels, a porn star, had asked for to keep quiet about the tryst she said she had with Mr. Trump. But Mr. Pecker urged Mr. Cohen to make a deal.

“If you don’t, and it gets out, I believe the boss is going to be very angry with you,” he said he told Mr. Cohen.