Former President Donald Trump initially indicated that he would testify as the final witness for his defense in his New York civil fraud trial. However, he changed his mind and declared on his Truth Social platform that he had already testified to everything and had nothing more to say. He also claimed, without evidence, that the trial was election interference against his reelection bid.
The trial is in response to accusations from the New York Attorney General’s Office that Trump and others engaged in various forms of fraud in his real estate empire, with the judge ruling that Trump fraudulently inflated the value of his assets on financial statements. The judge is now considering whether Trump and others engaged in other forms of fraud and potential punishments, including potentially banning them from running a New York company and ordering them to pay an estimated $250 million in allegedly ill-gotten gains.
Prior to Trump’s announcement, there were indications that his testimony was uncertain, as his son Eric Trump was expected to testify but did not take the stand. Additionally, an appeals court reinstated a gag order that prohibited Trump from commenting on court personnel, and the judge fined him $15,000 for violating the order multiple times.
In summary, Former President Trump initially planned to testify but changed his mind, claiming he had nothing more to say. The trial stems from accusations of fraud in his real estate empire, and the judge is considering potential punishments, including banning Trump and his adult sons from running a New York company.
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