Staff Reports
In a closed-door grilling with New York Attorney General Letitia James, former President Donald Trump passionately defended his real estate empire and his presidency. The deposition transcript, which was released by James in a flurry of court filings on Wednesday, revealed Trump’s assertive claims that his company is financially stable and that he believes he saved “millions of lives” by preventing nuclear war during his presidency.
The lawsuit against Trump alleges that he inflated his net worth and the value of his assets, such as his skyscrapers and golf courses, on annual financial statements. Trump called the lawsuit a “terrible thing” and urged James to drop the case. He characterized the need to justify himself as a “shame,” considering his significant contributions to the city’s skyline.
During the deposition, Trump argued that being president was the “most important job in the world.” He listed his accomplishments, including his tough stance on China, preventing Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, and deterring a nuclear attack from North Korea’s Kim Jong Un. Trump claimed that without him as president, the world would have experienced a “nuclear holocaust” or an ongoing nuclear war.
James, on the other hand, is urging the judge to grant summary judgment and endorse her claim that Trump and his company defrauded lenders and others by lying about his wealth and the value of his assets. She argues that the evidence against Trump is overwhelming, citing the mountain of undisputed evidence in the case.
Trump’s lawyers, however, are asking the judge to dismiss the case entirely. They argue that many allegations are barred by the state’s statute of limitations and that James has no standing to sue because the entities Trump allegedly defrauded have not complained and have profited from their dealings with him. If the judge rules on the fraud claim, a non-jury trial on the remaining claims is still scheduled.
Trump blasts N.Y. fraud case, claims he prevented nuclear war in newly released transcripthttps://t.co/VpKuhyYbKi pic.twitter.com/0suPGNio0m
— The Washington Times (@WashTimes) August 31, 2023
As Trump faces multiple legal headaches amid his pursuit of the presidency, he has labeled the lawsuit as a “politically motivated Witch Hunt” led by James and other Democrats. While the lawsuit focuses on Trump’s pre-presidential life as a businessman, his criminal trials are scheduled to overlap with the busy presidential primary season.
James filed the lawsuit in September 2022, alleging that Trump inflated his net worth and the value of his assets on his annual statements of financial interest for at least a decade. The lawsuit seeks $250 million in penalties and a ban on Trump doing business in New York.
Trump testified that he had the financial statements created to keep track of his properties but never thought they would be taken seriously. He conceded that some of the values listed were based on “guesstimates.” Trump argued that the statements had a disclaimer telling readers not to believe them and to do their own work.
During the deposition, Trump provided detailed responses at times, veering from evasiveness to bluster to filibuster. He argued that his company, the Trump Organization, has over $400 million in cash and claimed that properties like Mar-a-Lago and a golf course he owns are worth billions. He also mentioned a possible lucrative sale of another golf course in Scotland.
With Trump not expected to testify in court, video recordings of his depositions could potentially be played during the trial. The case is currently scheduled to go to trial in October if it is not settled beforehand.
