MIAMI, United States: Former US president Donald Trump Friday said that he plans to testify in his New York criminal trial for illegal payment of hush money that starts in New York on Monday.
Asked by media-men at his expensive Florida home whether it would be legally risky to testify, Donald Trump responded: “I’m testifying. I tell the truth. I mean, all I can do is tell the truth and the truth is there’s no case.”
Trump becomes the first US ex-president to go on criminal trial Monday less than seven months before the nation decides whether the scandal-plagued Republican returns to the White House.
Trump is accused of falsifying business records in a scheme to cover up his alleged sexual relationship with porn star Stormy Daniels so as not to rock his 2016 election campaign.
The so-called hush money affair case, arguably the least serious, is only one of four criminal cases hanging over Trump.
Trump, the right-wing populist, is running against Democratic President Joe Biden, who beat him in 2020.
Trump Friday said he would take the stand — an unusual and often risky move for defendants.
Even if convicted, Trump would have a right to appeal and would not be barred from continuing to run or even being elected president on November 5.
