Trump refuses to testify at trial

WASHINGTON: Former president Donald Trump has refused to testify in his looming impeachment trial after being called by House prosecutors to give evidence, branding the process “unconstitutional”.

Mr Trump’s lawyers ridiculed the request in a letter by lead House prosecutor Jamie Raskin to answer questions over the January 6 attack on the US Capitol as a “public relations stunt”.

“Your letter only confirms what is known to everyone: you cannot prove your allegations” against Mr Trump, lawyers Bruce Castor and David Schoen wrote in their reply.

While the lawyers did not say whether he would testify, a senior adviser to Mr Trump, Jason Miller, said he would not.

“The (former) president will not testify in an unconstitutional proceeding,” he said.

The refusal came five days before the trial of Mr Trump on one impeachment charge of “incitement to insurrection” begins in the US Senate.

Mr Trump is accused of fomenting the deadly attack by his supporters on the US legislature one month ago, forcing a halt to proceedings to certify opponent Joe Biden’s victory in the November election.

Mr Raskin had asked Mr Trump, who has maintained without evidence that Mr Biden won by massive fraud, to testify next week.

He said Mr Trump had little excuse to avoid testifying and could no longer claim he was too busy overseeing the country, as was the White House position when he was president.

Mr Raskin also warned if Mr Trump refused, it would be considered as supportive of the evidence against him.

“If you decline this invitation, we reserve any and all rights, including the right to establish at trial that your refusal supports a strong adverse inference regarding your actions (and inaction) on January 6, 2021,” he added.