The National Enquirer, a well-known tabloid magazine, has been embroiled in a lengthy and scandalous saga surrounding its attempted sale over the past five years. The publication has returned to the spotlight due to its involvement in the hush-money trial of former President Donald J. Trump. The trial focuses on the “catch and kill” practices employed by The Enquirer to protect Mr. Trump’s image during the 2016 election. David Pecker, the former publisher of The Enquirer and a close friend of Mr. Trump’s, has been the prosecution’s main witness. He has revealed the close relationship between The Enquirer and Mr. Trump’s campaign, leading to a series of failed sales attempts in recent years.
Pecker testified in court about The Enquirer’s collaboration with the Trump campaign to suppress damaging stories about Mr. Trump by paying sources for their silence. He claimed to have acted as the campaign’s “eyes and ears,” ensuring that negative stories were quashed while promoting content that disparaged Mr. Trump’s opponents. This questionable form of journalism became apparent in 2018 when American Media Inc., the parent company of The Enquirer, agreed to cooperate with an investigation into hush-money payments involving the Trump campaign. The company admitted to violating campaign finance laws and paid a fine for those violations.
Originally founded as a broadsheet in 1926, The National Enquirer evolved into a sensational tabloid magazine known for its provocative headlines and salacious content. Over the years, it has published controversial stories, including a cover photo of Elvis Presley in an open coffin. In 1999, American Media, the parent company of The Enquirer, was acquired by an investment group led by Evercore Partners, with David Pecker as part of the team. The tabloid’s connection with the Trump campaign emerged after American Media was acquired by Chatham Asset Management in 2014, prompting pressure for The Enquirer to be sold.
Efforts to sell The Enquirer began in earnest in 2019 when American Media announced a deal worth $100 million with James Cohen, but the sale never materialized. Pecker left the company in 2020 following a merger with Accelerate360, and the company was rebranded as A360 Media. In 2023, A360 Media reached an agreement to sell The Enquirer to VVIP Ventures, a joint venture between Vinco Ventures and Icon Publishing. However, the deal fell apart when one of the buyers, Ted Farnsworth, was arrested for violating bond conditions related to a separate fraud case. Subsequently, Vinco Ventures collapsed, leaving A360 Media in possession of The National Enquirer.
Presently, The National Enquirer remains under the ownership of A360 Media, although its website makes no mention of the tabloid. Efforts by the parent company to sell the publication have been riddled with challenges and setbacks, casting a shadow over the future of this infamous tabloid magazine. Despite its troubled past and current state, The National Enquirer remains a polarizing figure in the world of tabloid journalism, grappling with controversy and legal troubles that continue to define its legacy.
