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Former President Donald Trump<\/strong> said<\/a> Friday that he was \u201cabsolutely\u201d planning on taking the stand in his upcoming trial in New York, where he currently faces<\/a> 34 criminal counts of falsifying business records related to his $130,000 \u201chush money\u201d payment to former adult film star Stormy Daniels<\/strong> before his 2016 election.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m testifying. I tell the truth,\u201d Trump said in response to a question from a reporter during a press conference at his Mar-a-Lago estate. \u201cI mean, all I can do is tell the truth. And the truth is that there\u2019s no case. They have no case.\u201d<\/p>\n Reprising lines he has used about his sprawling criminal cases throughout the campaign season, Trump called the prosecution against him a \u201cscam\u201d and a \u201cwitch hunt\u201d and claimed it was evidence that the U.S. has become a \u201cthird-world country.\u201d<\/p>\n The trial is set to last six weeks, and Trump will be required to be in court every day it\u2019s in session, which will generally be every weekday save Wednesdays.<\/p>\n Of course, like any promise Trump makes, his vow to testify ought to be taken with a grain of salt, as he has a history of making and then reneging on similar promises. In his civil trial in New York on business fraud charges, Trump abruptly decided<\/a> not to take the witness just one day before he was supposed to. The former president was ultimately hit<\/a> with a $354 million penalty in that case.<\/p>\n Sources familiar with Trump\u2019s thinking told<\/a> The New York Times<\/em> that the former president will likely wait to decide whether to testify until he sees if Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg<\/strong><\/a> presents a compelling case. Another important factor will be whether prosecutors\u2019 cross-examination efforts are restricted by the judge overseeing the case.<\/p>\n Trump\u2019s former lawyer and fixer, Michael Cohen,<\/strong> who coordinated payment to Daniels and will likely be a central witness in the trial, told NBC on Saturday that he felt the odds of Trump actually testifying were low. \u201cThe likelihood of Donald Trump being on the stand is equal to the likelihood of me waking up tomorrow and being 7-foot-6 and playing center for the New York Knicks,\u201d Cohen said. \u201cIt\u2019s not going to happen.\u201d<\/p>\n Trump\u2019s Friday comments came as Juan Merchan<\/strong>, the New York County Supreme Court Judge presiding over the case, slapped down<\/a> yet another request from the former president to delay the trial start date. The ruling was at least the fourth case last week<\/a> in which an effort by Trump\u2019s legal team to postpone the trial fell flat.<\/p>\n The case is moving forward as scheduled, with jury selection slated to begin on Monday. In his Friday remarks, Trump said that jury selection in the case is \u201clargely luck,\u201d adding: \u201cIt depends on who you get.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n