Centrist think tank dares Trump to testify in hush money trial
Third Way, a centrist think tank, is targeting former President Trump over his past comments about defendants not testifying because he has yet to take the stand in his New York hush money trial.
In an ad dubbed “Coward” released Friday, Third Way dares Trump to take the stand in Manhattan, where he faces 34 felony counts for falsifying business records related to a payment to porn actor Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about an alleged sexual encounter.
“Donald Trump would never plead the Fifth Amendment,” the narrator says in the ad.
The former president is then heard saying “The mob takes the Fifth. If you are innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?”
“Now he's on trial for hiding hush money payments to a porn star, but he won't take the stand,” the narrator continues. “Donald, why won’t you testify? After all, you believe only guilty cowards take the fifth.”
“Fifth Amendment, Fifth Amendment, Fifth Amendment. Horrible,” the former president says in the soundbite, after which the ad goads him to, “Take the stand, Donald, or admit you’re a coward.”
It is a five-figure ad buy that will be running throughout the next week, according to ThirdWay’s spokesperson.
It will be targeting the former president in New York City and Palm Beach, Fla., where Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club is located.
The 30-second ad will also air in Dallas, where Trump is set to address the National Rifle Association at its Leadership Forum on Saturday, the Third Way spokesperson added.
The ad’s rollout was first reported by Politico.
The hush money trial reached its 18th day Thursday with Trump's former fixer, Michael Cohen, taking the stand. Cohen, a key witness in the case, said he paid Daniels with his own funds and was later reimbursed.