FILE - Former President Donald Trump, center, sits at the defense table with his attorney's Christopher Kise, left, and Alina Habba, at New York Supreme Court, Thursday, Dec. 7, 2023, in New York. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez, Pool, File)

Trump says he won't testify Monday at his New York fraud trial and sees no need to appear again

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World

Author: MICHAEL R. SISAK and JILL COLVIN,
Publish Date: Mon, 11 Dec 2023, 10:01AM

Donald Trump said Sunday he has decided against testifying for a second time at his New York civil fraud trial.
In a social media post, the former president said that he "VERY SUCCESSFULLY & CONCLUSIVELY" testified last month and saw no need to appear again.
Trump had been expected to return to the witness stand Monday as the last big defense witness in the case, which threatens his real estate empire and cuts to the heart of his image as a successful businessman.
Trump announced he was canceling his testimony in an all-capital letters, multipart statement on his Truth Social platform, writing: "I WILL NOT BE TESTIFYING ON MONDAY."
Trump was often defiant and combative when he testified on Nov. 6. He sparred with the judge and slammed New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is suing him. Trump defended his wealth and denied wrongdoing.
When he was questioned by the state lawyers who are suing him, he often responded with lengthy diatribes. Trump's verbose answers irked the judge, who repeatedly asked Trump to keep his answers short. "This is not a political rally," the judge said.
Had Trump returned to the stand Monday, his defense lawyers would have led the questioning, but state lawyers could have cross-examined him.