Trump lashes out from the witness stand at judge, NY attorney general as he testifies in fraud trial – The San Diego
In the New York civil fraud case that threatens his real estate empire, former President Donald Trump took the stand and clashed with the judge, emphasizing the seriousness of the trial. New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron urged Trump to answer questions concisely and avoid delivering speeches. Trump’s testimony, as the first former US president to testify as a defendant in a century, centered on his defense against allegations of exaggerating the value of Trump Organization’s real estate assets to secure favorable loans and insurance terms.
Under oath, Trump rejected claims of fraudulent financial statements, contending that banks paid little attention to them. He also emphasized the value of his personal brand in his rise to the presidency. Trump denounced the case as “election interference” and claimed it typically occurs in “third world countries and banana republics.” New York State Attorney General Letitia James accused Trump of consistently inflating his assets’ value and emphasized the importance of facts and numbers in the case.
Trump and his sons, Don Jr. and Eric, potentially face significant penalties and removal from managing the family company. The judge ordered the liquidation of certain assets following evidence of overstatements in financial documents. Ivanka Trump, though not a codefendant, is also ordered to testify. This civil fraud trial is one of several legal battles Trump is navigating, including charges related to his alleged conspiracy to overturn the 2020 election result
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