Former President Donald Trump's "close contacts" were released in a Manhattan courtroom last week during his hush money trial, The Hill reported. The people on the list included athletes, billionaires, and celebrities.
The list was leaked during testimony from Trump's former White House aide Madeleine Westerhout. The people's names were entered into evidence, though their phone numbers were kept private.
These 54 contacts he had varying degrees of communication with Trump over the years, beginning around the time of his 2016 election. Some were newly formed attachments, while others were people he has known for some time, the New York Times reported.
Trump's lawyer Necheles: Would the RNC create a travel schedule for presumptive nominee Trump?
Westerhout: Yes.
Necheles: I want to show you L-8 and L-9. Oh, when they're ready. So People's 69 [the Trump contact list] pic.twitter.com/LEUgIMMmT9— Inner City Press (@innercitypress) May 10, 2024
Several of the contacts include members of the media, some of whom he's had a contentious relationship with. For instance, Mika Brzezinski of MSNBC is on the list despite their "roller-coaster relationship."
Fox News's Bret Beier, whom Trump has similarly had his ups and downs with, is also listed along with Jeanine Pirro and Sean Hannity from the network. The Hannity host has been very friendly in his coverage of Trump and is arguably Fox News's most pro-Trump personality.
Famed reality TV producer Mark Burnett appeared on the list of contacts after the two worked on Trump's program The Apprentice. Burnett is credited with helping refine Trump's brand from simply a rich man to a shrewd business leader.
Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker appeared among Trump's contacts. Earlier in the trial, Pecker testified that he bought rights to Karen McDougal’s account of an affair she had with Trump with the intention of keeping it out of the press.
Also on the list was MSNBC Morning Joe co-host Joe Scarborough. Trump and Scarborough were friendly until a 2017 row between the two changed that dynamic permanently.
Several others from the sports and business world showed up among Trump's contacts. Famed New England Patriots since-retired quarterback Tom Brady made the list and notoriously kept a "Make America Great Again" hat in view in his NFL locker.
Also on the list is supporter and Patriots coach Bill Belichick. Trump read a personal note from Belichick to him at one of his rallies to boast his support.
On the business side, former Goldman Sachs partner Mike Fascitelli appeared among the names. Fascitelli is now the chief executive at Vornado Realty and an investor in a startup owned by Jared Kushner, Trump's son-in-law.
Trump's ex-attorney, Michael Cohen, who is said to have paid Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about her affair with Trump before being reimbursed and falsifying documents, was also named. Matt Calamari, a senior executive at the Trump Organization, made the list as well.
It's unclear how much contact Trump had with the people on the list over the years. However, it's likely the names were put into evidence as another way to intimidate Trump and his inner circle during this sham of a trial.
