Publisher of the National Enquirer admits to hush-money payments made on Trump’s behalf

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December 12, 2018 at 7:47 p.m. EST

The announcement on Dec. 12 made it clear that David Pecker, chairman and CEO of American Media, has turned on President Trump. Above, Pecker is seen in 2014. (Reuters)

The National Enquirer’s parent company acknowledged paying hush money to a woman who alleged an affair with Donald Trump to “suppress the woman’s story” and “prevent it from influencing the election.”

The admission came as federal prosecutors announced Wednesday that they would not prosecute the company, American Media Inc. (AMI), for its role in a scheme to tilt the presidential race in favor of Trump. In the agreement, AMI said it would cooperate with prosecutors and admitted it paid $150,000 to Karen McDougal before the 2016 election to silence her allegations of an affair with Trump.