Donald Trump did not testify in his criminal trial, where a verdict could come as early as next weekend.
Read: Samuel Alito Is The Insurrectionist Threat To Democracy On The Supreme Court
CNN reported:
Trump did not appear in court: Publicly, Trump left open the possibility that he could testify in his own defense, but his lawyers always seemed to downplay that possibility.
…
Closing arguments set for Tuesday: Now, with the jury taking a week off due to the Memorial Day holiday, closing arguments are scheduled for next Tuesday. A ruling is likely to come by the end of next week.
Pretend tough guy Trump will never testify. If Trump were to testify, the cross-examination would be brutal and could convict him and end his presidential campaign. Trump lacks self-discipline in testifying.
A decision in the hush-money trial is likely to be made by the end of next week. It was impossible to predict what the jury would think or what they would do, but prosecutors presented nearly two dozen witnesses and a voluminous paper trail documenting the scheme and crime. The former president has been taking every opportunity to complain about the judges and the trial process, so it certainly seems like he’s laying the groundwork for a post-conviction appeal.
However, a jury may not believe the crimes are proven to be Trump-related or that they are not felonies.
The trial phase will end when the jury reaches a verdict, but if Trump is convicted, his legal costs will increase further as the appeals process begins.
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Jason is the managing editor. He is also a member of the White House press corps and a congressional reporter for PoliticusUSA. Jason holds a BA in Political Science. His graduate work focuses on public policy, particularly social reform movements.
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