The National Enquirer was the go-to American tabloid for many years. Donald Trump helped change that

By DAVID BAUDER
AP Media Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Catch and kill. Checkbook journalism. Secret deals. Testimony by former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker during former President Trump’s hush money trial has been shocking even for people who bring a healthy degree of skepticism whenever they read the supermarket tabloid. Pecker has taken the stand to reveal details of a deal he made with Trump prior to his first presidential campaign to boost his candidacy, denigrate his rivals and silence embarrassing stories. The Enquirer has a scandalous reputation but has been an iconic part of American culture. Its reporters once broke some genuine news. Now it’s hard to see how it recovers.