The U.S. District Courthouse is seen ahead of Former Trump campaign manager Paul Manafort arriving for the opening day of his trial on bank and tax fraud charges stemming from Special Counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into Russian meddling in the 2016 U.S. presidential election, in Alexandria, Virginia, U.S., July 31, 2018. REUTERS/Aaron P. Bernstein

ALEXANDRIA, Va. (Reuters) - The expected star government witness in the criminal trial of U.S. President Donald Trump’s onetime election campaign manager Paul Manafort may or “may not” testify, a prosecutor told the judge in court on Wednesday.

The judge in federal court in Virginia asked about plans to call Manafort’s business partner Rick Gates. “He may testify in this case, he may not,” U.S. prosecutor Uzo Asonye replied.

Asonye then clarified that the prosecution is constantly evaluating the need for all of its witnesses’ testimony and “it’s not to suggest we are not calling him.”