The prosecution displayed more than a dozen pro-Trump headlines in the National Enquirer, including “Melania Trump: How she inspired Donald Trump to run for president,” and “Donald Trump beating Hillary in key swing state poll.”

Other headlines attacked Trump’s GOP rivals with outlandish claims: “Donald Trump blasts Ted Cruz’s dad for photos with JFK assassin” and “Senator Marco Rubio’s Cocaine Connection.”

Pecker said stories about Trump’s opponents originated with a call from Cohen, who would say they wanted him to run a story, whether it be about Cruz, Rubio, Ben Carson or someone else.

“That was the basis of our story, and then we would embellish it from there.”

Whether he heard things informally or “injected himself into it,” Pecker said Cohen was in Trump’s environment, and he assumed his directives were Trump’s wishes.

“Michael was physically in every aspect of whatever the campaign was working with, at least at the Trump Organization, at Trump Tower.”

Pecker said he was present when Trump infamously descended the golden escalator at Trump Tower in June 2015 and announced he was running for president — not long after a poll of National Enquirer readers showed 80% were enthusiastic about a Trump presidency.

Steinglass then asked Pecker about the August 2015 meeting where Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg said the hush money scheme began.

Pecker said former Trump campaign press secretary and top aide Hope Hicks was “in and out” of the meeting.

“At that meeting, Donald and Michael, they asked me, what can I do and what my (magazines) ... could do to help the campaign,” Pecker said.

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