wrong thing to do -- >> reporter: several people have now said pecker's company bought the right to stories potentially damaging to trump just to keep them out of the public eye, a practice called "catch and kill." and at one point msnbc hosts claimed the white house threatened to launch a hit piece on them in "the enquirer." >> they said, if you call the president up and you apologize for your coverage, then he will pick up the phone and basically spike the story. >> reporter: pecker's company, american media, incorporated, denies wrongdoing, dismissing accusations as laughable. the political implications are spurring serious questions about this relationship between the politician and the publisher. >> all right, tom, thank you very much. "outfront" now, american media ink, which opens "the national enquirer." you were not there when the doorman incident story happened.