Donald Trump, the former US president, faced a contentious exchange with the judge on Monday as he testified in a New York civil fraud case that could have severe consequences for his real estate empire. New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron reprimanded Trump for his lengthy answers and reminded him that the courtroom was not a political rally. The judge even asked one of Trump’s lawyers to “control your client.” Trump, who is the first former president in over a century to appear as a defendant in a court case, complained about the trial being brought by Democrats from multiple angles, calling it “very unfair” and “crazy.”
Dressed in a dark blue suit with an American flag on his lapel, Trump took the stand to testify in the case, which accuses him, his sons, and other Trump Organization executives of inflating the value of their real estate assets to secure more favorable loans and insurance terms. Under oath, Trump denied that the company’s financial statements were fraudulent and claimed that the banks didn’t pay much attention to them.
During his testimony, Trump stated that he became president because of his brand, in response to questioning from an attorney for the New York attorney general’s office, which is prosecuting the case. Prior to his testimony, Trump spoke to reporters outside the courtroom, denouncing the trial as “election interference” and comparing it to situations that occur in third-world countries and banana republics.
New York State Attorney General Letitia James, who filed the case against Trump, accused him of consistently misrepresenting and inflating the value of his assets. She emphasized that the facts and numbers are what truly matter, claiming that numbers don’t lie.
Trump’s testimony followed that of his sons, Don Jr. and Eric, who blamed accountants for any inaccuracies in the company’s financial statements. The trial is one of several legal battles that Trump is currently facing, as he also awaits a trial in March on charges of conspiring to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
While Trump and his sons do not face the risk of going to jail, they could potentially be slapped with penalties totaling up to $250 million and be removed from the management of the family company. The trial also carries the possibility of liquidating assets such as the Trump Tower and 40 Wall Street skyscrapers in Manhattan. Ivanka Trump, Trump’s daughter and former White House advisor, has also been ordered to testify in the case.
