Newsmax CEO Chris Ruddy, a close ally and personal friend of President Trump, is urging the president to testify in the upcoming Senate impeachment trial.
Ruddy in an interview on CNN Tuesday said Trump should testify in the upcoming trial, arguing that the president is his own best witness.
“I think it’s a great idea,” Ruddy said. “I think the president should testify because he is his most able … I haven’t talked to him about it but I do think he would be a powerful witness. He would be great.”
Ruddy then made a direct appeal to Trump to testify.
“Mr. President, if you’re watching this show, please testify,” he said. “I think it would be good because you’re your No. 1 witness.”
Ruddy noted that Trump did not testify during the House impeachment hearings because the president didn’t believe the setting was fair.
Trump has not dismissed the possibility of testifying on his own behalf in a Senate trial and on Tuesday said he would let Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) decide on whether to allow witnesses to testify.
McConnell on Tuesday indicated that the Senate will likely not have witnesses testifying, saying on “Fox & Friends” that “I think we’ve heard enough,” referring to the House impeachment hearings.
“I would encourage Mitch McConnell, who I know, and all the senators to do a fair trial,” Ruddy added.