The ex-publisher of the National Enquirer is expected to be the prosecution’s first witness on Monday.

The long-time friend of Mr Trump was the CEO of American Media, the tabloid’s parent company, until August 2020.

Prosecutors say Mr Pecker met with Mr Trump and his former lawyer Michael Cohen at Trump Tower in August 2015 to discuss using the National Enquirer to suppress negative stories about the presidential candidate.

The plan is alleged to have involved buying exclusive rights to the stories but not publishing them.

Prosecutors say the Stormy Daniels payment, which is the focus of the trial, was part of a broader “catch and kill” scheme to bury stories about Mr Trump.

Mr Pecker, 72, and American Media provided details about Mr Cohen’s payment to Ms Daniels after being subpoenaed by federal investigators in April 2018, according to prosecutors.

Mr Pecker was later granted immunity in exchange for testimony about Mr Trump’s knowledge of the payment.