Former United States President Donald Trump, on Sunday (Dec 10) took to social media to announce that he will not testify for his civil fraud trial in New York for the second time, saying that he has “nothing more to say”. The 77-year-old, Republican frontrunner for the upcoming 2024 presidential elections, was expected to take the stand again this week.
‘Nothing more to say’
Trump made the statement on his social media platform, Truth Social adding that he has “already testified to everything” in the ongoing trial in the case brought by New York state’s attorney general, one of the many legal woes that the former president is facing amid his White House bid.
trending now
-
)
Morning brief: Australia to tighten visa rules, US fighter jet crashes in South Korea, and more
-
)
India’s top court approves Modi govt’s 2019 move that stripped Jammu and Kashmir of its special status
-
)
Gaza War Day 65: Entire generation at ‘risk of radicalisation’, says Qatar PM
-
)
Delhi records coldest morning of the season; Temperature to drop further in coming week, says IMD
-
)
Top 10 world news: Cyprus detains 2 Iranians, Palestine PM demands US ensure Israeli ‘atrocities’ end, & more
-
)
Article 370 Verdict Live Updates: Every decision taken by Union cannot be challenged, says CJI Chandrachud
-
)
Surgery without being cut open? Researchers develop 3D printer that uses ultrasound
-
)
Pro-democracy activists arrested as Hong Kong holds first ‘patriots only’ elections
-
)
Eminem’s death hoax infuriates fans – here’s how the fake news spread online
-
)
Lights out: Kenya power grid fails again, third nationwide blackout hits nation
-
)
Big B shares cryptic tweet amid Abhishek, Aishwarya separation rumours
-
)
Shah Rukh Khan, Ajay Devgn and Akshay Kumar served notices over controversial tobacco ad
-
)
Iran unveils advanced Karrar combat drones armed with Majid air-to-air missiles, to be used along border
-
)
US: University of Pennsylvania president steps down amid antisemitism backlash on campus
He added, “I have already testified to everything & have nothing more to say other than that this is a complete and total election interference.”
New York Attorney General Letitia James had accused the former president of inflating his assets and net worth to obtain favourable bank loans and lower insurance premiums.
Trump was expected to take the stand on Monday (Dec 11) in a case involving his eldest sons Don Jr and Eric and other Trump Organization executives.
Trump lawyer Christopher Kise said there was “really nothing more to say to a judge who has imposed an unconstitutional gag order and thus far appears to have ignored President Trump’s testimony and that of everyone else involved in the complex financial transactions at issue in the case”.
New York Judge Arthur Engoron had first imposed a gag order against Trump in October after he shared a photo on social media of the judge’s principal law clerk posing with Senate Majority leader and Democrat Chuck Schumer, and falsely called her Schumer’s “girlfriend.”
Since then Trump has been fined a total of $15,000 for violating the partial gag order twice.
‘Control your client’
Since the beginning of the trial, the Republican frontrunner has denounced the proceedings as a partisan “witch hunt”. During his first appearance, in November, Trump often avoided direct answers and spent much of his time complaining of unfair treatment.
At one point, a visibly angry Engoron told Trump’s lawyer, Kise, to “control your client”.
Engoron, whom Trump has branded “hostile” and a “political hack”, has already ruled that Trump and his sons manipulated financial statements to dupe banks and insurers, while the trial is currently focused on the damages.
James has sought $250 million in damages and a permanent ban on Trump and his sons from running businesses in New York.
The trial will now go on without Trump’s testimony with a ruling expected by the end of January 2024.
(With inputs from agencies)
