Donald Trump, the former US President, will be in court again next Monday. A New York appeals court on Thursday rejected Trump’s request to postpone the trial. Numerous proceedings are currently underway against Trump – this time it concerns real estate transactions. According to the prosecution, he is said to have inflated the value of his properties by up to $2.2 billion in order to get cheaper bank loans.
Most recently, Trump tried to delay the trial – he argued that the allegations in the indictment were time-barred. However, the responsible judge, Arthur Engoron, rejected this.
Among the properties are Trump Tower in New York and his Mar-a-Lago estate. Trump denies the allegations and sees prosecutor Letitia James’ indictment as a “racist witch hunt” against him. According to the defense, the prosecution does not take into account that the properties have greater value because they belong to him and his business empire. In addition, there was no financial damage to the banks.
Unlike the rest of the cases against him, the indictment concerns Trump as an entrepreneur. His image as a successful businessman contributed to his rise in politics, which led him to the White House. This public image could be greatly damaged by the trial: Prosecutor James wants to recover $250 million in ill-gotten gains, and he could also lose control of numerous properties in New York.