Donald Trump has spent the better part of his trial in New York saying that he could set the record straight on the hush money scheme that was enacted in the final weeks of the 2016 election campaign.
Trump is on trial for creating false business records to cover up the hush money deal surrounding an alleged affair.
"All I can do is tell the truth,” Trump proclaimed the day before his trial began.
“Yeah. I will testify. It's a scam. That's not a trial. It's a scam...It's not even a crime," said Trump on April 12.
Legal analysts called the idea of testifying incredibly stupid. Still, critics pressed him to do so.
Yet, when given an opportunity to tell his side of the story, Trump choked -- and many internet critics were quick to pounce.
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"Releases a video advocating for a 'unified Reich,' then deletes it after backlash. Whines about being silenced for weeks, then chooses not to testify. Donald Trump is a coward," the Lincoln Project posted on X after the defense rested its case.
Seth Abramson wrote his own headline version, "Draft-Dodger, and Career Fraudster Who Had Sworn He Wanted to Testify—Tucks Tail and Refused to Testify in Case Where He Is 100% Guilty."
"Once again, Trump has chickened out of testifying after repeatedly promising to do so," agreed Ron Filipkowski.
Grassroots political group Real American, meanwhile, also blasted the ex-president as a "coward."
"Despite a tremendous amount of bluster and bravado from Donald Trump insisting he wants to testify, the defense just rested its case without his own testimony," the group posted. "Because Trump is terrified."
"Now, to be clear," the group continued, "he had every right to adhere to his legal team's advice and not testify, but since when has Donald Trump -- the draft dodger who believes he knows more than generals -- listened to anyone's advice? And no, his attorneys could not force him NOT to testify. He can do whatever he wants. They didn't force him to say he wants to testify. Trump's own false bravado caused that. Donald Trump didn't testify because his own words would DAMN his case even worse than it already is. Donald Trump didn't testify because HE IS A COWARD. Closing arguments will begin next week."
"It’s not his lawyers, it’s not the court stopping him. Donald Trump CHOSE not to testify in his own defense. I hope this is the first of many guilty verdicts," pointed out SiriusXM host Dana Goldberg, who also co-hosts "The Daily Beans."
A popular Twitter account known as Jo Jo from Jerz noted called Trump "a chickens--t" who will now "blabber on and on about who or what or why 'prevented him from doing it," she said referring to not testifying. "Because it wasn't that he 'didn't want to,' blah, blah, blah. And it's all bulls--t. He won't because he'd get destroyed. And he damn well knows it."
