Former President Donald Trump testified in New York on Monday in the $250 million civil fraud lawsuit against his business and sons.
The case revolves around claims by New York Attorney General Letitia James that Trump and his business attempted to receive better loan and insurance terms by falsifying financial statements, as previously covered by The Dallas Express.
New York District Judge Arthur Engoron previously ruled on the central claim in the case, that Trump and his company defrauded banks through these financial statements, reported The Dallas Express.
As a result, Trump’s business license was rescinded in the state of New York.
Trump took the stand on November 6 and answered questions about his involvement in the financial statements.
While testifying, Trump maintained his innocence due to disclaimers in his financial statements.
In speaking about the disclaimers, Trump said, “They always hold up in court, except maybe in this court, they always hold up in court, always. It’s a disclaimer.”
“One of the reasons I never got too involved in these statements is that clause is on page one, as you know better than anybody,” Trump said, according to CNN.
“And that’s why we shouldn’t be having a case here.”
When asked about the financial statements that apparently listed the Trump Tower penthouse as three times the actual size, Trump responded that the most likely reason was simply that someone “made a mistake.”
Trump also said a likely scenario was that someone included the roof in the statements without specifying the addition, stating that “we have access to the roof, which is very big,” as reported by The Associated Press.
Trump also took shots at Engoron while testifying, saying that the judge “always rules against” him and he is involved in a “very unfair trial,” per NPR.
“I think it’s fraudulent, the decision,” Trump said, referencing Engoron’s earlier ruling, per CNN.
“The fraud is on the court, not on me.”
Engoron quickly grew tired of Trump’s long responses, telling him, “You can attack me in whichever way you want but please answer the questions,” according to The AP.
Trump also took shots at James, stating that he is being prosecuted “probably for political reasons — in her case definitely.”
“People don’t know how good a company I’ve built,” Trump said while addressing James, per CNN.
“Because people like you go around trying to demean me and hurt me.”
Trump has repeatedly taken shots at both Engoron and James since the trial first began, with many of these criticisms coming on his social media platform, Truth Social.
One such post came last week when Trump criticized both in a single post, stating that the trial is rigged and “brought by the Racist New York State A.G. Letitia James before Trump and developer Hating Judge, Arthur Engoron.”
The former president is the third member of his family to testify in the trial, as Donald Trump Jr. testified on November 1, and Eric Trump testified on November 3.
Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, is currently scheduled to take the stand on November 8, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
