Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Trump denounces trial as 'disgrace' amid clashes with judge

Trump became the first former US president to testify as a defendant in a court case in more than a century

Trump denounces trial as 'disgrace' amid clashes with judge

A combative Donald Trump took the stand on Monday (6) in the New York civil fraud case threatening his real estate empire, clashing repeatedly with the judge and denouncing the trial as a "disgrace."

One year out from an election he hopes will return him to the White House, the 77-year-old Trump became the first former US president to testify as a defendant in a court case in more than a century.


Trump had a number of heated exchanges with Judge Arthur Engoron and lawyers for the New York attorney general's office during his daylong appearance in a Manhattan courtroom, prompting the judge to tell him at one point to "please, just answer the questions, no speeches."

"This is not a political rally," the New York Supreme Court justice told the 2024 Republican presidential nomination front-runner.

Trump accused the judge of being "very hostile" and denounced New York Attorney General Letitia James, who brought the case against him, as a "political hack."

"I think this case is a disgrace," he said. "It's election interference."

At one point, a visibly angry Engoron told Trump's lawyer, Christopher Kise, to "control your client."

Engoron slapped Trump with $15,000 in fines earlier in the trial for violating a partial gag order imposed after he insulted the judge's law clerk on social media.

Trump, his eldest sons Don Jr and Eric, and other Trump Organisation executives are accused of exaggerating the value of their real estate assets by billions of dollars to obtain more favorable bank loans and insurance terms.

Dressed in a dark blue suit with an American flag on his lapel, Trump denounced what he called a "crazy trial" brought by Democrats "coming after me from 15 different sides."

He dismissed allegations that his firm's financial statements were fraudulent, describing them as "very conservative."

"They were not really documents that the banks paid much attention to," he said. "The banks were paid off."

The former president also said the value of the "Trump brand" was not always taken into account in the valuations of his assets.

"I became president because of my brand," he said.

'The court was the fraudster'

Speaking to reporters after his testimony, Trump said the case "should have never been brought.

"The fraud was on behalf of the court," he said. "The court was the fraudster in this case."

James, the attorney general, told reporters the former president had "consistently misrepresented and inflated the value of his assets," and shrugged off Trump's personal attacks on her.

"The numbers don't lie," James said. "I will not be bullied. I will not be harassed. This case will go on. Justice will prevail."

James said the president's daughter, Ivanka Trump, would testify on Wednesday (8). She left the Trump Organisation in 2017 to become a White House advisor and is not a co-defendant in the case.

Trump's testimony followed that of his sons Don Jr. and Eric, who took the stand last week and blamed accountants for any inaccuracies in the company's financial statements.

According to the Washington Post, the last former US president to testify publicly as a defendant was Theodore Roosevelt, who took the stand during a 1915 libel trial.

Trump and his sons do not risk going to jail, but face up to $250 million in penalties and potential removal from the management of the family company.

Even before opening arguments, Engoron ruled that James's office had already shown "conclusive evidence" that Trump had overstated his net worth on financial documents by between $812 million and $2.2 billion between 2014 and 2021.

As a result, the judge ordered the liquidation of the companies managing the assets in question, such as the Trump Tower and 40 Wall Street skyscrapers in Manhattan.

That order is on hold pending appeal, but its potentially sweeping consequences highlight the high stakes for the former president.

The civil fraud trial is one of several legal battles Trump faces as he seeks to recapture the presidency.

In March, Trump -- who was impeached twice while in office -- faces a federal trial in Washington on charges that he conspired to overturn the results of the 2020 election, which he lost to president Joe Biden.

(AFP)

More For You

ve-day-getty

VE Day 80 street parties, picnics and community get togethers are being encouraged to take place across the country as part of the Great British Food Festival. (Photo: Getty Images)

Public invited to attend VE Day 80 procession and flypast

THE 80th anniversary of Victory in Europe (VE) Day will be marked with a military procession in London on May 5.

The event will include over 1,300 members of the Armed Forces, youth groups, and uniformed services marching from Parliament Square to Buckingham Palace.

Keep ReadingShow less
Knife crimes

Knife-enabled crimes include cases where a blade or sharp instrument was used to injure or threaten, including where the weapon was not actually seen.

Getty Images/iStockphoto

Knife crime in London accounts for a third of national total: ONS

KNIFE-RELATED crime in London made up almost a third of all such offences recorded in England and Wales in 2024, with the Metropolitan Police logging 16,789 incidents, according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) on Thursday.

This amounts to one offence every 30 minutes in the capital and represents 31 per cent of the 54,587 knife-enabled crimes reported across England and Wales last year. The total number marks a two per cent rise from 53,413 offences in 2023.

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer and Modi

Starmer and Modi shake hands during a bilateral meeting in the sidelines of the G20 summit at the Museum of Modern Art in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Brazil, on November 18, 2024.

Getty Images

Starmer calls Modi over Kashmir attack; expresses condolences

PRIME MINISER Keir Starmer spoke to Indian prime minister Narendra Modi on Friday morning following the deadly attack in Kashmir’s Pahalgam region that killed 26 people on Tuesday.

According to a readout from 10 Downing Street, Starmer said he was horrified by the devastating terrorist attack and expressed deep condolences on behalf of the British people to those affected, their loved ones, and the people of India. The two leaders agreed to stay in touch.

Keep ReadingShow less
 Post Office Horizon

A Post Office van parked outside the venue for the Post Office Horizon IT inquiry at Aldwych House on January 11, 2024 in London, England. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Post Office spent £600m to keep Horizon despite plans to replace it: Report

THE POST OFFICE has spent more than £600 million of public funds to continue using the Horizon IT system, according to a news report.

Despite deciding over a decade ago to move away from the software, the original 1999 contract with Fujitsu prevented the Post Office from doing so, as it did not own the core software code, a BBC investigation shows.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pahalgam attack: Prayer meet held at Indian mission in London

The prayer meet was led by Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami

Pahalgam attack: Prayer meet held at Indian mission in London

Mahesh Liloriya

A PRAYER meet was held at the Gandhi Hall in the High Commission of India in London on Thursday (24) to pay respects to the victims of the Pahalgam terrorist attack.

Chants of ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ rang out at the event which was led by Indian High Commissioner to the UK Vikram Doraiswami.

Keep ReadingShow less