Pecker, who received immunity in Cohen’s 2018 federal case that led to the ex-fixer’s conviction and prison sentence, told jurors he reviewed covers — “the only thing that mattered” — and that any stories that cost more than $10,000 had to get his signoff.

“I had the final say on the celebrity side of the industry,” Pecker said. “We used checkbook journalism and paid for stories.”

Pecker is expected to share more about his role Tuesday and is the first character of many in the salacious hush money saga jurors are expected to hear from — possibly including Trump, should he follow through on his promise to testify. If so, prosecutors can ask him about a bevy of other cases that went horribly for him, Judge Juan Merchan ruled Monday.

As he vies for the presidency once again, Trump, 77, faces 88 felony counts across four states alleging crimes that started the year before he won the White House and ran until the year he left. In the other cases, he’s denied that he plotted to subvert democracy and illegally hoarded classified documents.

He returned to his trial after an arduous first week in which he was threatened with sanctions for potentially violating a gag order prohibiting public criticisms of trial participants, which Merchan is expected to consider Tuesday.

In a nine-minute rant after proceedings wrapped, the displeased-looking ex-president said the trial was going “very well” and that there was nothing wrong with classifying reimbursement for hush money as legal fees.

“What else would you call it?” Trump said. “In the book, it’s a little lie.”

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