Trump won't appear before Manhattan "hush-money" grand jury: lawyer

WASHINGTON, March 13 (Xinhua) -- Former U.S. President Donald Trump will not appear before the Manhattan grand jury probing a "hush-money" payment made to an adult film actress, his lawyer said on Monday.

The Manhattan district attorney's office reportedly informed Trump last week of his right to testify before the grand jury. "We have no plans on participating in that proceeding," Trump's attorney Joe Tacopina said on ABC News.

The investigation concerns whether Trump falsified business records in connection with the payment made to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. The hush money was allegedly used to prevent Daniels from saying that she had an affair with Trump.

Trump has repeatedly denied allegations of wrongdoing in connection with the payment, which was negotiated by his former attorney Michael Cohen.

Cohen, who pleaded guilty in federal court in 2018 of making the illegal payment to Daniels, testified before the Manhattan grand jury on Monday afternoon.

Trump, who served as U.S. president from January 2017 to January 2021, announced his candidacy for the 2024 presidential election in November 2022.