Donald Trump’s lawyers have rested their defence without the former US president entering the witness box in his New York hush money trial.

“Your honour, the defence rests,” Trump lawyer Todd Blanche told the judge following evidence from a former federal prosecutor who had been called to attack the credibility of the prosecution’s key witness.

The jury was sent home until May 28, when closing arguments are expected, but the lawyers will return later on Tuesday to discuss how the judge will instruct jurors on deliberations.

Trump did not stop to speak as he left the courthouse and ignored a question about why he was not giving evidence.

He had previously said he wanted to enter the witness box to defend himself against what he claims are politically motivated charges.

After more than four weeks of evidence, jurors could begin deliberating as soon as next week to decide whether Trump is guilty of 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.

Prosecutors have accused Trump of a scheme to bury negative stories to fend off damage to his 2016 presidential campaign and then falsifying internal business records to cover it up.

Trump, the first former American president to be tried criminally, has pleaded not guilty and denied any wrongdoing in the case, which he has condemned as politically motivated.