Donald Trump: the key moments of his aggressive testimony in the civil fraud trial in New York

donald trump He testified under oath Monday in the civil fraud trial he faces in a New York court. The former president of the United States defended himself aggressively and angrily before Judge Arthur Engoron and state Attorney General Letitia James.

The scathing testimony of the former president At one point the judge warned him that “this is not a political demonstration.”.

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trump made personal attacks on Engoron, whom he said was biased against him. While about James He said she was a “political pirate” who “She has used this case to try to become governor”.

This civil trial, the first of several processes that Trump already has open, threatens the real estate empire of the magnate, who is in full campaign for the 2024 presidential elections.

trump77 years old, is a witness in the case and faces a lawsuit for US$250 million that the prosecutor presented Letitia James. His office accuses him of repeatedly committing fraud, along with his children and partners, by inflating assets in the company’s financial statements. Trump Organization. This in order to obtain better conditions on commercial real estate loans and insurance policies.

The prosecutor too has called for the Trump Organization to be banned from doing business in the statesomething that endangers the Republican’s business empire.

trump He proudly boasted Monday about his real estate business: “It’s worth billions of dollars,” he said. He also disputed claims that he had misled banks and insurers.

Specifically, the prosecutor has asked the court for the following:

• 1) permanently ban Trump and his adult children from serving as officers or directors of any New York corporation.
• 2) Ban Trump and the Trump Organization from making real estate purchases in New York for five years.
• 3) grant disgorgement of all financial benefits obtained through persistent fraudulent practices, estimated to total $250 million.

Below are the most striking and tense moments of the interrogation that lasted more than four hours in the Manhattan Courthouse:

The role of the convicted Allen Weisselberg

In accordance with cnnthe first questions from the prosecution were to confirm that trump He was director and president of the Trump Organization from 1981 to 2017.

He was also asked why he named Allen Weisselberg as administrator of the trust.

“He had been with the company for a long time and was someone I trusted,” Trump said.

It should be noted that Allen Weisselberg He was CFO of Trump’s family business. He decided to collaborate with justice and was sentenced to five months in prison and to pay $2 million in fines for his role in the scam.

When to trump Asked if he trusted his former CFO, he said: “I did, yes.”

Regarding your company’s financial documents, Trump said he looked at the financial statements, and sometimes made suggestions.

He added that bankers did not pay much attention to their financial statements. He added that that is going to be part of his defense.

The value of your assets

TO trump He was asked about the value of his assets in the financial statements, and responded that he thought his apartment – ​​whose size and price have been a centerpiece in the trial – was valued “highly.”

“I thought the apartment had a high rating”, said. “We changed it,” she added.

It’s the first time in more than 100 years

that a former president of the United States is called to testify in his own defense in a trial, since Theodore Roosevelt in the 1910s.

CNN specified that the prosecutor James Maintains that trump He officially presented his apartment with more than 9,100 square meters to value it at more than US$300 million, when in reality it had an area of ​​less than 3,350 square meters and a lower price.

trump stated that it would have added brand value to its financial statements if it had wanted to “manufacture them,” CNN noted.

“If I had wanted to fabricate the financial statement, like you said I did before I found out how rich we are, I would have added brand value here and increased it by tens of millions of dollars,” he said. trump.

Judge Arthur Engoron intervened and told the prosecutor Kevin Wallace: “Mr. Wallace, did you ask for an essay on brand values?”

Engoron’s comment was a reaction to Trump’s lengthy response.

The judge then continued to try to trump Be specific in your answers.

“That was a yes or no question. Please answer yes or no when you receive such a question.”Engoron asked him.

Trump’s children

Donald Jr and Eric already testified before the judge last week as vice presidents of the family business. His daughter Ivanka has been summoned to testify next Wednesday.

“It is not a political rally”

The first 30 minutes of the interrogation trump were an exchange of comments between the judge Engoron and the tycoon, CNN summarized.

“Mr. Kise, can you control your client?”an impatient man told him Engoron to Trump’s lawyer, Chris Kise.

“This is not a political rally. “This is a court.” he added.

“In addition to the answers not addressing the questions, they are repetitive. No time to lose. “We have one day with this witness,” he added. Engoron.

Judge Engoron then told attorney Chris Kise to control his client or be removed from the stand.

At another time, Trump said, “This is a very unfair trial. Very unfair and I hope the public is seeing it.”.

The value of Mar-a-Lago

About the value of your club Mar-a-LagoTrump said he is worth between US$1,000 and US$1,500 million.

A Florida tax appraisal determined that Mar-a-Lago worth US$ 18 million.

Prosecutor Wallace asked Trump if he approved the appraisal Mar-a-Lago as if it were going to be sold to an individual. “Did I approve of this? “I don’t know,” Trump said.

When pressed for the assessment of Mar-a-Lago, Trump looked at prosecutor James to say: “What is happening here, how can something like this be happening? It is shameful”.

“This is a political witch hunt and I think she should be ashamed of herself.”he added.

Then he criticized the judge again Engoron for the ruling issued before the trial that Trump committed fraud.

“He called me fraudulent and didn’t know anything about me”Trump said.

“Read my opinion perhaps or for the first time,” replied the judge.

“I think the decision is fraudulent,” Trump said. “The fraud belongs to the court, not mine.”

Then prosecutor Kevin Wallace asked, “Are you done?” “I’m done,” Trump responded.

The Deutsche Bank loan

The prosecutor Kevin Wallace asked trump on a series of loan agreements between the Trump Organization and the German bank Deutsche Bank.

Wallace asked Trump to acknowledge his signature on the documents and to confirm that the loan documents included requirements for annual financial statements and a minimum net worth of $2.5 billion.

Trump personally guaranteed all loans with the private wealth management group of the Deutsche Bank for these properties, which is why he was required to meet the liquidity and net worth requirements, CNN indicated.

Wallace reviewed 2012 documents linking the Trump Organization’s loan for the Doral Golf Resort & Spa.

Trump confirmed that he personally guaranteed the loan.

“Yes, I did,” he said.

Wallace then highlighted the loan agreement that required Trump as personal guarantor to maintain $50 million in unencumbered liquidity.

Trump said he met that requirement.

The loan agreement also required him to maintain a net worth of US$2.5 billion.

“Do you think he made good on this loan?” Wallace asked Trump.

“Yes I believe it”, Trump responded.

Trump assured that it would not have cost him much to meet the $2.5 billion net worth requirement in the loan document.

“I could have given them just a few assets,” Trump said.

The prosecutor’s complaint James ensures that trump defrauded the bank by providing fraudulent and inflated financial statements to obtain the loans and maintain them in the years following the initial transaction.