It’s a first round. Donald Trump, combative and offensive, defends himself under oath this Monday in a New York court during a high-risk civil trial for his real estate empire, an almost unprecedented moment for American democracy, and the first in a long series of legal meetings for the billionaire who dreams of returning to the White House.
Since 10:00 a.m., the former President of the United States, aged 77, accused of having colossally inflated the value of his real estate assets, such as the Trump Tower in New York, to seduce the banks, has defended himself step by step and responds at length to every question asked by prosecutor Kevin Wallace, in a crowded courtroom in Manhattan court, where he took the oath, hands raised.
” Answer the question “
After two hours, the tempestuous billionaire ended up launching several invectives against the attorney general and against judge Arthur Engoron.
“It’s a really very unfair trial, and I hope people see that,” he said, while the judge, with whom he has had terrible relations since the beginning of the hearings on October 2, told him Asked several times to make shorter answers. In half a day, Donald Trump denounced “the exploitation of justice” and a judge who “always rules against” him. Attorney General Letitia James has been called a “little politician”
“Can you check your client, we are not at a political meeting,” warned the magistrate, who, since the opening of the trial, has already imposed two fines, of 5,000 and 10,000 dollars, on him for doing so. be taken from his clerk. Addressing Donald Trump, he insists: “You can attack me all you want, but answer the question.”
With all these digressions, the substance has barely been touched upon. Donald Trump put the fluctuations in the value of his properties into perspective, ensuring that he had done “a lot of renovations” in one of his buildings in Manhattan and that the “Trump brand” had been “undervalued” by estimates of American justice.
“Have you approved the $600 million valuation of 40 Wall Street?” », insists a prosecutor. “I don’t remember,” Trump responds, pointing out that the figure dates back to 12 years ago. Faced with an email, in which his son claims that “DJT” gave this figure to a journalist, he recognizes that these are indeed his initials (for “Donald J. Trump”).
A historical testimony
In this case, Attorney General Letitia James, a Democratic elected official, filed a civil lawsuit against the staff of the Trump Organization, accusing the Trump father and son of having overvalued the assets of the group – a myriad of companies managing skyscrapers, hotels and luxury residences or golf courses around the world – to obtain better bank loans and more favorable insurance conditions.
It is the first time in more than 100 years that a former president has been called to testify in his defense at a trial, since Theodore Roosevelt in the 1910s.
Unlike the four other criminal cases in which he is charged, Donald Trump does not risk prison time in this civil trial, but he is playing big financially and the case is off to a bad start. The fraud having already been established, the trial concerns in particular the amount of the fine. Attorney General Letitia James is seeking $250 million and bans on running businesses for the Republican billionaire and his children. The financial penalties could be much higher, which would force Donald Trump to liquidate several properties.