Ivanka Trump, daughter of former President Donald Trump, is set to testify at her father’s civil fraud trial in New York next week. Biographer Tim O’Brien predicts that prosecutors will corner Ivanka “factually” during her testimony. Ivanka had attempted to avoid testifying, claiming that she had already been dismissed from the case. However, Judge Arthur Engoron ruled that she must testify, joining her father and brothers, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, in providing evidence.
O’Brien appeared on MSNBC’s Joy Reid show to discuss how Ivanka’s testimony could impact her father in the lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James. The Trump Organization and Trump’s sons are accused of inflating asset values to secure loans and complete deals. O’Brien stated that Trump sees Ivanka as an “Aryan trope” that he can showcase, while he has been somewhat embarrassed by his sons. Ivanka has managed to maintain her father’s favor while not straying too far, O’Brien added.
O’Brien noted that Ivanka has never been as strongly aligned with her father’s “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) movement as her brothers. He believes that her allegiances won’t matter during her testimony, as she will have to decide whether to commit perjury or face damning evidence regarding her own role and the actions of Donald Trump and his sons. O’Brien suggests that the Trumps routinely manipulated the value of their holdings to cheat on taxes or secure loans, depending on their preferences.
The upcoming trial and Ivanka’s testimony are expected to shed light on the alleged fraudulent practices of the Trump Organization and its associates. As the case unfolds, it remains to be seen how Ivanka’s testimony will impact the outcome.
