Ex-President Trump declines to testify in hush money trial
Former United States President Donald Trump has decided not to testify at his ongoing hush money criminal trial at a Manhattan courthouse as the defence rested after calling its last two witnesses on Tuesday, with none being Mr Trump.
The 77-year-old politician is currently in court over a $130,000 hush-money payment to former porn star Stormy Daniels on the eve of the 2016 election through his former fixer Michael Cohen, who served jail terms for the crime.
Mr Trump’s decision to reimburse Mr Cohen apparently connected the former president to the offense which consequently led to the 34 felony counts brought against him by New York prosecutors and formed the basis of the prosecutors’ case.
Both Ms Daniels and Mr Cohen, who the prosecutors considered star witness, have testified against Mr Trump at the ongoing trial.
The defence and prosecutors are expected to begin their closing arguments next week. After that, Mr Trump’s fate will be decided by the 12 New York jurors, who will decide whether the Republican candidate in the upcoming 2024 U.S. presidential election is guilty or not.
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