Trump says he would have 'loved' to testify in New York criminal trial

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Former President Trump delivered lengthy remarks Friday morning from Trump Tower in New York following his unprecedented trial resulting in the conviction of 34 counts of falsifying business records. 

Trump, the presumptive GOP nominee for the 2024 election, said that he wished he testified in his criminal trial N.Y. v. Trump, though it appears he was given counsel otherwise.

"I would have testified. I wanted to testify," Trump said from the podium. 

"The theory is you never testify because as soon as you testify – anybody, if it were George Washington — don't testify because they'll get you on something that you said slightly wrong, and then they'll sue you for perjury."

"But I didn't care about that. I wanted to," Trump reiterated. 

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Former President Trump speaks during a news conference at Trump Tower on Friday, May 31, 2024 in New York. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)

However, he said, Judge Juan Merchan "allowed them to go into everything that I was ever involved in. Not this case – everything that I was ever involved in, which is a first."

"In other words, you could go into every single thing that I ever did. Was he a bad boy here? Was he a bad boy there? And my lawyer said, ‘Why do you need to go through it? All you wanted to do is testify simply on this case.’" 

"Because I would have loved to have testified, to this day I would have liked to have testified," Trump said. 

"But you would have been, you would have said something out of whack like it was a beautiful sunny day, and it was actually raining out," Trump said, seemingly recalling a conversation with his legal counsel.

"And I very much appreciate the big crowd of people outside. That's incredible what's happening. The level of support has been incredible," Trump immediately added. 

Trump was charged by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on 34 counts of falsifying business records. Trump pleaded not guilty to all counts. 

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Former President Trump appears in Manhattan Criminal Court on Thursday, May 30, 2024 in New York. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig, Pool)

Prosecutors needed to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Trump falsified business records to conceal a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels, a former porn star, in the lead-up to the 2016 election – in an effort to silence her about an alleged affair with Trump in 2006. They were ultimately successful. Trump has denied the affair throughout the trial. 

"So the whole thing is this legal expense was marked down as legal expense," Trump said on Thursday. "Think of that."

Trump said fighting the case against him is "very important, far beyond me. And this can't be allowed to happen to other presidents. It should never be allowed to happen in the future. But this is far beyond me. This is bigger than Trump. This is bigger than me. This is bigger than my presidency." 

Sentencing is slated for July 11, just four days before the Republican National Convention. Each count carries a maximum prison sentence of four years. In total, Trump faces a maximum sentence of 136 years behind bars. 

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Former President Trump holds a rally in the historically Democratic South Bronx on May 23, 2024 in New York City. (Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

"We're losing our country," Trump said during his remarks that lasted roughly 40 minutes. He took no questions from the media.

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"And I really think that this is an event… what took place yesterday with this judge that we have conflicted… he's a crooked judge. And you'll understand that. And I say that knowing that it's very dangerous for me to say that. And I don't mind because I'm willing to do whatever I have to do to save our country and to save our Constitution. I don't mind," Trump added.