Trump Praises David Pecker as Trial Continues in Manhattan Construction Site Visit

Former President Donald Trump met with hundreds of construction workers and union members in New York City on Thursday morning, where he lauded the prosecution's first witness in his Manhattan trial, David Pecker, as a "nice guy."

Former President Donald Trump took a break from his ongoing trial in Manhattan on Thursday morning to visit a construction site in the city, where he met with hundreds of construction workers and union members.

Trump greeted the crowd with his signature thumbs-up gesture and a broad smile, eliciting chants of "We want Trump" from the supporters.

At a press conference held after the visit, Trump praised David Pecker, the prosecution's first witness in the NY v. Trump case, as a "nice guy."

"He's been very nice. David's been very nice. He's a nice guy," Trump told the media.

Pecker is the former CEO of American Media Inc., the parent company of publications such as the National Enquirer. He has known Trump stretching back to the 1980s.

Pecker took the stand earlier this week, where he testified regarding "catch and kill schemes" to allegedly bury negative information about Trump ahead of the 2016 election.

"Catch-and-kill" schemes are understood as tactics used by media and publishing companies to buy the rights of a person’s story with no intention of publishing it.

The NY v. Trump case specifically revolves around a payment of $130,000 given to former pornographic actress Stormy Daniels by former Trump personal attorney in 2016 to allegedly silence her claims she had an extramarital affair with Trump in 2006.

Pecker testified that he first heard of Daniels' claims of a sexual affair with Trump after the notorious "Access Hollywood" tape was unearthed ahead of the election in 2016.

He said that Daniels was selling the rights to her story for $120,000, which Pecker said the media company could not afford.

"I am not a bank," Pecker said he told National Enquirer editor Dylan Howard of the tip and sale of Daniels' story.

Howard then told Pecker he would contact Cohen about the matter, Pecker said.

Prosecutors allege that after Cohen paid Daniels in exchange for silence on the alleged affair, Trump fraudulently logged reimbursements to the personal lawyer as legal expenses.

Prosecutors in the case are trying to prove that Trump falsified business records in "furtherance of another crime."

The DA's office said the other crime is the violation of a New York law against "conspiracy to promote or prevent election."

Simultaneous to the trial on Thursday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments for another Trump case: Special Counsel Jack Smith’s election interference charges.

The case charged Trump with conspiracy to defraud the United States; conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding; obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding; and conspiracy against rights.

The case stems from Jan. 6, 2021, when supporters of Trump breached the U.S. Capitol.

The Supreme Court is currently weighing whether Trump has presidential immunity in the case.

"We have a big case today — this judge wouldn’t allow me to go, but we have a big case today at the Supreme Court on presidential immunity," Trump said to the press, referring to the Supreme Court weighing whether Trump is immune from prosecution in Special Counsel Jack Smith’s election interference case.

"A president has to have immunity," he added. "If you don't have immunity, you just have a ceremonial president."