Donald Trump announces that he will not testify for his civil fraud trial in New York

Former President Donald Trump has declared that he will not testify for his civil fraud trial in New York for the second time, stating that he has “nothing more to say.” Trump, a leading contender for the 2024 presidential elections as a Republican, was anticipated to testify in the trial brought by New York State’s attorney general, Letitia James.

In a statement posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump asserted that he has “already testified to everything” and has “nothing more to say” regarding the trial. He characterized the legal proceedings as “complete and total election interference.”

The case, initiated by Attorney General Letitia James, accuses Trump of inflating his assets and net worth to secure favorable bank loans and lower insurance premiums. The trial involves Trump’s eldest sons, Don Jr. and Eric, along with other Trump Organization executives.

Trump’s lawyer, Christopher Kise, argued that 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.”

Judge Arthur Engoron imposed a gag order against Trump in October after the former president shared a photo on social media falsely claiming that a clerk of the judge was the “girlfriend” of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Trump has been fined $15,000 for violating the partial gag order twice.

The trial, which Trump has denounced as a partisan “witch hunt,” will proceed without his testimony. Engoron, who previously ruled that Trump and his sons manipulated financial statements, is now focused on determining damages. James is seeking $250 million in damages and a permanent ban on Trump and his sons from running businesses in New York.

Trump’s first appearance in the trial, held in November, featured evasive answers and complaints about unfair treatment. The trial will continue without his testimony, and a ruling is expected by the end of January 2024.