Former President Donald Trump and his three oldest children are set to testify in a civil trial that accuses the Trump Organization and Trump himself of fraud. This trial, brought forth by the New York attorney general, alleges that the Trump family knowingly engaged in fraudulent activities. Donald Trump Jr. will be the first to take the witness stand, followed by his brother Eric. Both brothers are vice presidents of the Trump Organization and are among the defendants in the trial. The former president himself is expected to testify next week, marking his first public testimony in any of his pending trials. Ivanka Trump, Trump’s daughter, is also scheduled to testify, although she is not a defendant.
The trial is being presided over by New York Judge Arthur Engoron, who has already determined that the Trump Organization committed fraud. However, the trial will address whether the fraud was intentional and what penalties should be imposed if the defendants are found liable. Last week, Michael Cohen, a former lawyer and confidant to Trump who turned against him, testified that Trump had instructed him to inflate the organization’s assets based on arbitrary figures. Cohen’s credibility was called into question due to his previous convictions for lying under oath and other offenses. Allen Weisselberg, the former chief financial officer of the Trump Organization and a defendant in the trial, also testified.
During the trial, documents were presented that revealed a discrepancy in the size of Trump’s penthouse in the Trump Tower. The financial statements indicated a size of nearly 11,000 square feet in 1994, while later statements showed 30,000 square feet. Forbes magazine first reported on this discrepancy in 2017. Weisselberg claimed he did not pay attention to this particular property and could not recall discussing the financial statements with Trump.
Engoron, the judge presiding over the trial, fined Trump $10,000 for violating a gag order. This order prohibited any parties involved from making comments about the judge’s staff. Previously, Trump had already been fined $5,000 for violating the same gag order when a post about the judge’s clerk remained on the Trump campaign website. Engoron expressed his protectiveness of his staff and warned of potential severe sanctions in the future.
The trial will continue to unfold over the next two weeks as the Trump family members take the witness stand. The testimony and evidence presented will be crucial in determining the extent of fraud committed and any potential penalties to be imposed.
