Former U.S. attorney and MSNBC legal commentator Joyce Vance has described Donald Trump's recent pledge to testify in his ongoing Stormy Daniels hush-money trial as a "win for the prosecution." According to a post on social media platform X, lawyer and television host Katie Phang disclosed that Trump responded "yes" to journalists outside the Manhattan court on Friday when asked if he would testify in person.

The charges against Trump include 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to his alleged involvement in orchestrating hush-money payments to Daniels, a former pornographic actress, to secure her silence about an alleged sexual relationship in 2006, just before the 2016 presidential election. Contrary to Daniels' claim, the presumptive Republican presidential nominee has pleaded not guilty to all charges, vehemently denying any sexual relations with her.

Vance shared Phang's social media post and commented, "It's a win for the prosecution either way in this case." In an article on her Substack blog, Vance stated that Trump's legal team is likely to advise against testifying in person, but ultimately, the decision rests with the defendant. Vance emphasized that few defendants take the witness stand in their own defense, citing Trump's past performance and tendencies as reasons to avoid testifying. She highlighted the potential for relentless cross-examination by a skilled prosecution team if Trump were to testify.

While noting that Trump's lawyers would do everything possible to keep him off the stand, Vance acknowledged that the final decision ultimately lies with Trump himself. She added that he has a track record of disregarding his lawyers' advice.

Newsweek reached out to Trump's lawyer, Todd Blanche, as well as representatives from his 2024 presidential election campaign for comment but received no response as of the time of writing. However, on April 12, Trump expressed his intention to testify in the Stormy Daniels case during a discussion with reporters, declaring that he will tell the truth and maintain that there is no case against him.

By the end of Friday, a full jury, along with six alternates, had been selected for Trump's trial. Judge Juan Merchan, overseeing the case, announced that opening arguments would commence on Monday.

Vance also highlighted a pool reporter's observation that Trump failed to stand along with his legal team when the defense was introduced to the potential jurors present in the audience. This failure to show respect for those who would decide his fate was described by Vance as a basic instruction that defense lawyers give to their clients.

Apart from the Stormy Daniels trial, Trump faces three additional upcoming criminal trials. These trials involve allegations of mishandling classified documents, obstructing their return to the respective authorities, and attempting to overturn the 2020 presidential election result. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges and argues that the cases against him are politically motivated.

As the trial proceeds, legal experts and observers anticipate whether Trump will ultimately take the stand, knowing the potential implications and risks it may pose to his defense.