Ex-Mueller prosecutor warns Trump’s plan to deliver closing argument himself could badly backfire

Former President Donald Trump plans to deliver part of the closing defense arguments at his New York fraud trial, sources told ABC News. Though Trump has a legal team and is not the only defendant on trial — his sons Don Jr. and Eric and two former Trump Organization executives are also facing prosecution — sources told ABC that the former president is resolved to say his piece. The sources also noted that the plans for team MAGA’s closing arguments remain subject to change. 

Former federal prosecutor Andrew Weissmann, who served on special counsel Bob Mueller’s team, predicted that Trump would regret the plan if he actually follows through. “I think one of the best things for prosecutor in this case will be if he takes the stand,” Weissmann told MSNBC. “It’s not allowed. Even if you are there and you decide you’re going to do it, if you start testifying you either are cut off or you’re subject to cross-examination. So you just can’t start talking at closing and say this is Trump may be saying this now what happened. If you do that, you hop on the stand and the other side gets to cross-examine you.”