The defense team in Donald Trump‘s hush-money trial in New York City rested their case on Tuesday without calling the former president to the stand.
A paralegal and Robert Costello, a lawyer who advised former Trump fixer Michael Cohen, served as the only two witnesses for the defense over the past couple of days.
Defense lawyers had also wanted campaign finance expert Bradley Smith to testify, but he did not take the stand after the judge placed limits on what he could say.
“We’ll be resting pretty quickly,” Trump said outside the courtroom. “Resting meaning resting the case. I won’t be resting. I don’t rest. I’d like to rest sometimes but I don’t get to rest.”
Judge Juan Merchan adjourned the court until next Tuesday when closing arguments are expected to occur, and jurors may be able to begin deliberations the following day.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records to allegedly cover up payments in a bid to conceal damaging information as part of a “catch-and-kill” scheme to influence the 2016 election.
Prosecutors, led by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, presented 20 witnesses and more than 200 exhibits over several weeks of testimony.
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Their star witnesses included adult film actress Stormy Daniels, who allegedly had a tryst with Trump in 2006 (a claim the former president denies), and Cohen, who facilitated a $130,000 payment to Daniels to keep her quiet.
Trump suggested before the trial began last month that he wanted to testify under oath. Weeks later, Trump claimed he was not allowed to testify because of a gag order. Merchan later clarified that Trump had “an absolute right” to testify.
The former president’s legal spokeswoman, Alina Habba, told Fox News on Monday that Trump “wants to testify” but noted that he would have to listen to his attorneys when it came to the final decision about whether he would take the stand.
Trump, who claims he is facing “political persecution,” is currently trying to fend off three other criminal matters on the state and federal levels as he runs for another term in the White House.
