Former President Donald Trump has decided not to testify as planned in his New York civil fraud trial. The prosecution, led by New York Attorney General Letitia James, accuses Trump, his two sons, and their company of engaging in a decade-long fraud scheme to benefit themselves financially.
Trump declined to testify after a contentious interaction with Judge Arthur Engoron in his prior testimony. His responses were frequently marked by extended, incoherent monologues that did not effectively address the questions.
As Trump’s legal team readied to present their last witness, the state indicated its plan to summon two witnesses to counter the testimony of real estate and accounting experts who had defended Trump.
The former president’s decision was clarified in a statement issued by Trump’s attorney, Christopher Kise. Kise conveyed that Trump had already provided testimony and felt no further need to address a judge who had imposed what he considered an unconstitutional gag order. Kise asserted that Judge Engoron had overlooked Trump’s testimony and others implicated in the intricate financial transactions scrutinized in the case.
New York Attorney General Letitia James responded to Trump’s decision, asserting that his testimony was unnecessary for their case. She claimed that they had already presented evidence proving years of unjust enrichment on Trump’s part and financial fraud. James remained confident that the facts would become evident, regardless of Trump’s attorneys to provide contradictory information.
Despite Trump’s absence on Monday, the trial proceeded with the defense team questioning their final expert witness, Eli Bartov. The court spokesperson confirmed that proceedings would be adjourned for the day, with Bartov expected to conclude his testimony the following day.
After the completion of witness testimonies, both parties will be granted over three weeks to submit written filings to the judge. The trial is scheduled to resume on January 11 for closing arguments. Judge Engoron has suggested that issuing his final ruling will probably occur several weeks after that, affording sufficient time to examine the extensive evidence presented during the trial thoroughly.
