Trump says he will no longer testify at his New York fraud trial and has 'nothing more to say'

NEW YORK - Donald Trump said Sunday he had decided not to testify a second time at his civil fraud trial in New York, posting on social media a day before his scheduled appearance that last month he "in a manner very successfully and conclusively" testified. and that he did not see the need for it. do it again

The former president, one of the leading contenders for the Republican nomination in 2024, was expected to return to the witness stand on Monday to complete his defense at the trial of New York Attorney General Letitia James.

James, a Democrat, claims Trump inflated his wealth in financial statements used to obtain loans and make deals. The case threatens Trump's property empire and cuts to the core of his image as a successful businessman.

"I will not be testifying on Monday," Trump wrote in a multiple-page statement written in capital letters on his Truth Social platform, less than 20 hours before taking the witness stand.

"I've already testified about everything and I have nothing more to say," Trump added, leaving the final word among defense witnesses to an accounting expert hired by his legal team, who said last week that he had "no haven't found evidence, not in the least.” “everything, any type of accounting.” fraud” in Trump's financial statements.

A Trump spokesman did not immediately respond to questions about his decision.

The decision is a sharp reversal from Trump's position in recent days, when his lawyers said he insisted on testifying again despite concerns about a gag order that cost him $15,000 in fines for disparaging the legal aid judge.

"President Trump has already testified. "There is really nothing more to say to a judge who imposed an unconstitutional silence and who thus far appears to have ignored the testimony of President Trump and that of everyone else involved in the complex financial transactions at issue in this case, " said the judge. attorney Christopher Kise. Sunday.

Trump's decision came days after his son, Eric Trump, refused to return to the witness stand. Trump said on social media that he told Eric to cancel.

It also follows Trump's first return to court since testifying in the case on November 6. Last Thursday, he watched from the defense table as New York University accounting professor Eli Bartov criticized the state's case, saying Trump's financial statements "contain no material error."

Trump's reversal surprised court officials. Without Trump on the witness stand, the trial will be adjourned until Tuesday when Bartov finishes his testimony. State prosecutors say they will call at least one rebuttal witness next.

James said in a statement that whether or not Trump testifies again, "we have already proven that he committed years of financial fraud and unjustly enriched himself and his family." Even if you try to distract yourself from reality, the facts don't lie.

Trump was often defiant and combative during his Nov. 6 testimony. As well as defending his wealth and denying any wrongdoing, he repeatedly clashed with the judge, whom he called "extremely hostile" and criticized James as "a political hack".

Trump answered questions from prosecutors for about three and a half hours, often responding with lengthy tirades. Their long-winded responses irritated Judge Arthur Engoron, who warned: “This is not a political protest. »

If Trump had returned to the stand on Monday, his defense attorneys would have led the questioning, but lawyers in James' office would also have been able to question him.

Engoron ruled before the trial that Trump and other defendants committed fraud. He ordered a receiver to take control of some of Trump's properties, but an appeals court overturned that decision.

Engoron is currently reviewing six other complaints, including allegations of conspiracy and insurance fraud. James is seeking sanctions of more than $300 million and wants Trump barred from doing business in New York. It is the judge who decides, rather than the jury, because juries are not allowed in these types of cases.

Although testimony is almost complete, the trial that began on October 2 will continue until next year. Closing arguments are scheduled for January 11, just four days before the start of the presidential primary season by the Iowa caucuses. Engoron said he hopes to have a decision by the end of January.

Trump played a leading role in this trial. Pair Consistent with his testimony, he voluntarily went to court for eight days to observe witnesses, effectively turning his appearances into a de facto campaign stop. During s breaks, he made use of cameras stationed in the courthouse corridor to show what happens inside the courtroom, where cameras are not allowed, in the most favorable light.

Trump's frequent presence in court — as a witness, observer and injured defendant — underscored the unique personal risks for a billionaire who is also juggling four criminal cases and a campaign.

While other politicians have avoided legal risks, Trump has bowed to the growing overlap of his judicial and political calendars: The primaries are weeks away and the first of his criminal trials is scheduled for March.

But Trump's interest in defending his business and wealth also ran up against the limits of the gag order, which was reinstated by a state appeals court in late November after a two-week hiatus. The same silence was also in effect during his testimony in November.

Despite the silence, Trump has remained adamant in recent days that he will testify again, even though one of his lawyers, Alina Habba, said she had advised him against testifying.

"He still wants to testify, although my advice at this point is never speak with a verbal order," Habba told reporters last week before Trump changed his mind.

Trump spent Saturday night with Habba at the New York Young Republican Club black-tie gala. At the event, about a kilometer from the courthouse, he detailed his objections and said: "I proved my innocence literally every day. »