Donald Trump ended up declining an opportunity to take the stand in his own defense, which his allies had been begging him not to do. The former president had falsely claimed the gag order imposed by New York justice Juan Merchan was keeping him from testifying, which he he insisted throughout the trial that he would do, but sources told Rolling Stone that his allies thought that would be a terrible idea and told him so. “The jury would hate him, if they don’t all already, and would kill whatever chances he has left of a not-guilty verdict,” said one Republican lawmaker. Want more breaking pol…