Former President Donald Trump has expressed his willingness to testify at his upcoming criminal trial in New York regarding the hush payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. In an interview with ABC News on Monday, Trump indicated his readiness to take the stand and provide his testimony.
“I have no problem testifying,” he confidently stated during a press conference with ABC News after his court appearance in the case. “I firmly believe that I have done nothing wrong.”
“I find it incredulous that a trial can be held during a presidential election,” Trump remarked, reiterating his unsupported allegations that the legal challenges he confronts are a result of political persecution by his adversaries.
The trial is set to commence on April 15, as ruled by Judge Juan Merchan, who denied Trump’s request for a further delay.
In April of last year, Trump entered a plea of not guilty to a 34-count indictment. The charges against him involved the falsification of business records connected to a hush money payment made by his former attorney, Michael Cohen, to Daniels shortly before the 2016 presidential election. Throughout the proceedings, the former president has maintained his innocence.
The trial, originally set to start jury selection on Monday, was postponed for 30 days by Merchan earlier this month. Defense attorneys raised concerns about the untimely disclosure of more than 100,000 pages of potential evidence by federal prosecutors.
During the press conference, when asked by ABC News about the potential impact of a conviction on his chances for reelection, Trump responded with confidence, stating, “It might even boost my popularity.”
In a separate civil fraud case, New York’s appellate court has ruled to reduce Trump’s bond from $464 million to $175 million. The case involved Trump being found guilty of inflating the value of his properties in order to obtain more favorable loan terms.
During this election cycle, Trump has already given court testimony twice, and if he testifies in the hush money case, it will be his third appearance. Across four criminal cases, Trump is facing a total of 88 charges, although he vehemently denies any wrongdoing. In a New York defamation case, Trump was recently ordered to pay $83 million as compensation for defaming writer E. Jean Carroll.
In a press conference on Monday, Trump expressed uncertainty about his financial contribution to his campaign. Despite his previous statements about using his own money, he mentioned the possibility of being hindered by the $464 million judgment in his fraud case.
“When asked if he would use his money to finance his campaign now that the bond amount has been lowered to $175 million, Trump responded with a witty remark, stating, ‘Well, first of all, it’s none of your business.’ However, he did mention that he might consider using his own funds, as it is an option available to him. He also highlighted the fact that if he had to spend $500 million on the bond, he would not have the freedom to make that choice and would have to resort to selling his assets.”
According to Trump, the initial $464 million bond provided him with the opportunity to “invest a minimal amount of money into my campaign.”
“I have the option to spend money on my campaign,” Trump stated confidently. “I might even invest a substantial amount in it. But the choice is mine to make.”
Trump rejected the notion of seeking funds from foreign entities in order to secure the $175 million bond.
“I don’t engage in that practice. It’s possible that others might be allowed to, but I personally don’t know,” Trump stated. “The major banks, to be honest, are located outside of our country. So, technically you could borrow money from them, but I personally don’t need to. I am fortunate enough to have a substantial amount of wealth.”
