Former President Trump’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., testified Wednesday in the ongoing New York civil fraud trial investigating his family’s business.
Donald Trump Jr. has become the first member of the Trump family to testify in a $250 million civil fraud lawsuit. Other members of the Trump family, including the former president himself, are expected to provide testimony during the trial in the coming week.
During his 90-minute testimony, Trump Jr. stated that he was not involved in the preparation of financial statements for his family’s real estate company, which is at the core of the lawsuit. He mentioned that he could have provided information on the value of deals but was unaware that the data would be aggregated into financial statements. When presented with a fraudulent financial statement, he asserted that he had no role in its preparation, indicating that it was the accountants’ responsibility.
The broader context of this lawsuit revolves around New York Attorney General Letitia James’ allegations that Donald Trump, his associates, and the Trump Organization engaged in fraud by inflating his wealth and assets. The former president has appeared voluntarily in the Manhattan courthouse where the trial is being conducted and has criticized both Attorney General James and Judge Arthur Engoron, who presides over the case. testified Wednesday in
Engoron recently fined Trump $10,000 for violating a gag order in the case. Testimony from Trump’s other children, Ivanka Trump and Eric Trump, is also anticipated. The former president is scheduled to take the witness stand next week.