Donald Trump repeatedly claimed that he wanted to testify during his criminal trial in New York, that he had “no problem” with testifying, and even insisted that he would "absolutely" testify.
"I'm testifying. I tell the truth, I mean, all I can do is tell the truth. And the truth is that there is no case," Trump said.
But the truth is that Trump isn’t going to testify. Because on Tuesday morning, Trump’s defense team rested its case without Trump coming near the witness stand.
Adult film actress Stormy Daniels was willing to tell the jury what she knew even though one of Trump’s attorneys outright accused her of lying. Former Trump attorney Michael Cohen spent days on the stand undergoing tough cross-examination from Trump’s lead attorney.
But Donald Trump chickened out.
It was easy to predict that Trump wasn’t actually going to take the stand. Not only did every legal expert consider it a very bad idea, but Trump already made a blatant attempt to weasel out of testifying earlier this month when he claimed that he couldn’t testify because of the gag order imposed by Justice Juan Merchan.
“This judge has taken away my constitutional right,” Trump told reporters. “We’re filing, I think today, a constitutional motion.”
Merchan shot down that lie soon after Trump tried this ploy.
"It does not prohibit you from taking the stand,” Merchan told Trump in court.
He went on to explain that the purpose of the gag order was to protect jurors and witnesses and that it only affected what Trump said outside of the courtroom.
Trump’s defense rested on Tuesday after calling only one evidentiary witness, attorney Robert Costello, who was little less than a disaster for the defense team. On Monday, Merchan had to clear the courtroom after Costello talked back to the judge, tried to make his own objections from the witness stand, and insulted prosecutor Susan Hoffinger in a way that jurors definitely noticed. With Trump refusing to step up in his own defense, Costello’s angry answers are the only impression jurors will get from Trump’s side.
Closing arguments are expected to be heard next Tuesday, after which the jury will determine its verdict.
Campaign Action
