Gagging order on Trump does not stop him from testifying, says judge

Former president Donald Trump arrives at the Manhattan criminal court in New York on Friday (Picture: Doug Mills/The New York Times via AP, Pool)

The judge overseeing Donald Trump’s hush money trial has clarified that the gagging order pertaining to the former president does not prohibit him from testifying on his own behalf.

Judge Juan M Merchan started the trial on Friday by making that clarification, apparently responding to comments the Republican former president made after court the day before.