Donald Trump appeared momentarily amused in court on Thursday during a particular piece of testimony from former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker, according to a CNN reporter.
Reporting from outside the Manhattan courthouse, CNN’s Brynn Gingras said that the former president had appeared disengaged during many parts of the court proceedings.
She said he was sitting back in his chair with his eyes shut, occasionally conferring with his attorney.
But Pecker’s testimony about a January 2017 meeting at Trump Tower got his attention.
According to The New York Times, Pecker said he met with Trump and four people who would take on key government roles during his presidency: Sean Spicer, press secretary; Reince Priebus, chief of staff; Mike Pompeo, CIA director and secretary of state; and James Comey, FBI director.
Pecker said Trump introduced him to the men and then added that Pecker probably “knows more than anyone else in this room.”
“It was a joke,” Pecker testified, according to the Times. “Unfortunately, they didn’t laugh.”
Gingras said Trump “actually did give a smirk” when Pecker discussed that exchange.
“And Pecker sort of said, ‘nobody really laughed at that,’ but that did get a laugh from Donald Trump,” she said.
The Times also reported that the moment elicited a chuckle from Trump.
Times reporter Maggie Haberman told CNN that Trump “shook his head several times” during Pecker’s “uncomfortable testimony” and that it was “among the most animated we have seen him.”
Pecker has been testifying about a “catch and kill” scheme he allegedly hatched with Trump to find and bury potentially damaging stories before the 2016 election, including claims from two women that they had sexual relationships with him while he was married.
The case centers on a hush money payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels from Trump’s then-attorney, Michael Cohen.
Prosecutors say Trump falsified business records to hide the true nature of the expenditure when he reimbursed Cohen for that payment.