Trump fraud trial live: Trump bitterly attacks judge and AG in New York testimony

Donald Trump‘s testimony in the civil fraud trial that threatens to topple his business empire has concluded in New York.

The former president was admonished multiple times by Judge Arthur Engoron for rambling and chaotic answers to questions with attorney Christopher Kise instructed to get him under control.

“I beseech you, to control him. If you can’t, I will,” the judge said.

Twice during the day, Mr Trump lashed out at both Judge Engoron and New York Attorney General Letitia James, calling her a “political hack”.

His daughter Ivanka Trump is slated to appear for testimony in court on Wednesday – hours before the third Republican primary debate. His sons Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump testified last week.

Last week, a gag order was expanded in the case to include Mr Trump’s attorneys following repeated comments made about the court clerk.

Meanwhile, the former president is requesting special counsel Jack Smith keep it brief when submitting filings to Judge Tanya Chutkan in the government’s 2020 election subversion and January 6 case.

Alex Woodward is reporting from inside the courtroom for The Independent.

Key Points

• Red-faced Trump rages at judge during historic fraud trial testimony

• Jack Smith responds to Trump’s attempt to dismiss January 6 case

• Trump lashes out at judge and AG James ahead of trial testimony

• Fraud trial judge expands gag order to include Trump attorneys

• Ivanka Trump loses appeal to delay testimony in New York civil fraud trial

• ‘So sad to see my sons being persecuted’, says Trump

Should Donald Trump abandon a second run for president? Join The Independent Debate

10:00 , Rachel Sharp

As Donald Trump’s legal battles grow more complex, many are wondering whether he will win the nomination and campaign for the election as a convicted criminal.

We want to know if you think time is up for Trump. With the accusations surrounding the former president is it time he threw in the towel and sought a desk job away from the limelight and politics?

Or do you believe there’s still merit in bringing Mr Trump back to the White House?

We want to know your thoughts...

Tell us if Donald Trump should abandon a second run for president

‘Control him’: Judge tells off Trump and his attorney in court

09:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The judge presiding over the civil fraud trial of Donald Trump repeatedly admonished him to keep his answers concise Monday, reminding him that “this is not a political rally” as the former president and leading Republican presidential candidate testified in a lawsuit accusing him of dramatically inflating his net worth.

“We don’t have time to waste. We have one day to do this,” an exasperated Judge Arthur Engoron said. At another point, turning to Trump’s attorney, the judge said, “I beseech you to control him if you can. If you can’t, I will.”

The exchanges underscored Trump’s unwillingness to adapt his famously freewheeling rhetorical style to a formal courtroom setting governed by rules of evidence and legal protocol. But while his presence on the stand was a vivid reminder of the legal woes he faces as he vies to reclaim the White House in 2024, it also functioned as a campaign platform to raise anew his claims of political persecution at the hands of government lawyers and judges.

Read more...

Axelrod suggests Biden should drop out of 2024 presidential race

08:30 , Oliver O'Connell

A former adviser to Barack Obama has suggested Joe Biden should drop out of the 2024 presidential race in the wake of polling that shows the President would lose to Donald Trump in five key states.

A new poll from The New York Times and Siena College showed the incumbent trails his 2020 challenger in Nevada, Georgia, Arizona, Pennsylvania and Michigan.

David Axelrod, who was a senior adviser to President Obama, said the poll was a sign of “legitimate concern” would send “tremors of doubt” through the Democrats.

Writing on X/Twitter, he said it was “very late to change horses”, but added: “Trump is a dangerous, unhinged demagogue whose brazen disdain for the rules, norms, laws and institutions or democracy should be disqualifying. But the stakes of miscalculation here are too dramatic to ignore.

“Only Joe Biden can make this decision. If he continues to run, he will be the nominee of the Democratic Party. What he needs to decide is whether that is wise; whether it’s in HIS best interest or the country’s?”

Obama adviser suggests Biden should drop out of 2024 presidential race

Meanwhile, in DC...

06:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Prosecutors with Special Counsel Jack Smith’s office are calling on Judge Tanya Chutkan to reject former president Donald Trump’s effort to have the election subversion and conspiracy charges against him dismissed, writing in a Monday court filing that Mr Trump “stands alone in American history for his alleged crimes” and pointing out that cases cited by the ex-president’s lawyers don’t support the arguments they’ve made.

“No other president has engaged in conspiracy and obstruction to overturn valid election results and illegitimately retain power. The indictment squarely charges the defendant for this conduct, and the defendant’s constitutional and statutory challenges to it are meritless,” they said.

In the 79-page filing opposing two separate motions filed by Mr Trump’s legal team, Assistant Special Counsels James Pierce and John Pellettieri and Senior Assistant Special Counsels Thomas Windom and Molly Gaston noted that the indictment returned against the ex-president by a Washington, DC grand jury over the summer accused him of “perpetrating an unprecedented campaign of deceit to attack the very functioning of the federal government to collect, count, and certify votes; to obstruct the January 6 congressional proceeding at which the election results are certified; and to disenfranchise millions of voters”.

They further described Mr Trump actions as part of “a concerted criminal effort to overturn the presidential election results and prevent the lawful transfer of power to his successor”.

Read the full article...

04:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump’s lawyer attacks ‘unhinged’ New York judge in civil fraud trial

Abortion is back on the ballot in two battleground states

03:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Voters are headed to the polls in two states where the “Dobbs Effect” will face its latest test.

A year after the Supreme Court’s conservative majority ended federal protections for abortion in Dobbs vs Jackson Women’s Health Organization, the issue of abortion is back on the ballot in two battleground states that will each play a major role in next year’s presidential election.

In Ohio, voters will consider an amendment to the state constitution enshrining “a fundamental right to reproductive freedom” as a right of all Ohioans, allowing for some limits on the practice of abortion but generally protecting it from an all-out ban or severe restrictions.

And in Virginia, the state’s Republican governor is rallying his party around a 15-week abortion ban, and encouraging a perception of the state House of Delegates and Senate as either a green light or a roadblock ahead of the implementation of that legislation. Republicans took the governor’s mansion and House of Delegates in 2021, leaving Democrats in control of just one corner of government.

Read more...

Voices: Why Democrats should (and shouldn’t) worry about Biden’s low poll numbers

02:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Eric Garcia writes:

Washington is 364 days away from the next presidential election. Which means naturally, Democrats are engaging in their favourite pastime: fretting about national polls or calming each other down that the polls are not nearly as bad.

This usually ignores one fact about polling everyone seems to forget: they are not meant to predict what will happen but rather serve as a snapshot of where public opinion is at the moment.

The latest case came on Sunday when The New York Times and Siena College released its survey showing that former president Donald Trump leads President Joe Biden in Arizona, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Nevada, the five major swing states.

Naturally, this set off alarm bells given that Mr Biden is running essentially unopposed, save for a quixotic run by Rep Dean Phillips (D-MN) and author Marianne Williamson. Running against an incumbent president would likely kill the career of any Democrat with some semblance of promise. So for now, it looks like Democrats are stuck with the president.

Continued...

Why Democrats should (and shouldn’t) worry about Biden’s low poll numbers

Trump allies planning to invoke Insurrection Act if he wins in 2024

01:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump’s conservative allies are crafting a blueprint for a Republican presidency in 2025 which could include the use of US troops to put down protests and acts of civil disobedience across the US resulting from a Trump 2024 election victory.

In an extensive report published on Sunday, The Washington Post detailed the work being done under the umbrella of “Project 2025”, an effort by a coalition of conservative groups to prepare a policy and governing agenda for a GOP president. Though none of its connections to the Trump campaign are official, the Post reports that the coalition has ties to a number of members of Mr Trump’s inner circle, including most prominently Jeffrey Clark, the former assistant US attorney general who is now facing criminal charges in Fulton County, Georgia.

John Bowden reports.

Trump may invoke Insurrection Act to bar protests if he wins 2024 race, says report

‘Walmart Melania’: Casey DeSantis gushes about her nickname

00:50 , Mike Bedigan

Florida Gov Ron DeSantis’ wife Casey DeSantis says she “loves” her nickname “Walmart Melania,” explaining that she appreciates being likened to the former first lady because she’s “gorgeous,” while the women’s husbands, Mr DeSantis and former President Trump, compete for the 2024 GOP nomination.

“You know it’s funny, these hits from the media. Some of them are so funny they are just laughable,” Ms DeSantis said to a crowd at the Florida Republican Party’s “Freedom Summit” in Kissimmee.

She recalled when her friend called to tell her the media was “hitting” her. Ms DeSantis told the crowd, “They’re ‘hitting’ me? Like what did I do? I’m just standing up for parents’ rights and the innocence of our children, those sorts of things, but they’re hitting me?”

Kelly Rissman reports.

Casey DeSantis gushes about her ‘Walmart Melania’ nickname

Key moments from Trump’s fraud trial testimony

00:29 , Mike Bedigan

Donald Trump’s testimony in his high profile civil fraud case was, fittingly, not short of confrontation – with proceedings devolving into the typical bouts of name-calling and inflammatory rhetoric favoured by the former president.

On Monday Mr Trump took the stand in the New York trial, in which he is accused of overvaluing the worth of multiple properties in his portfolio.

Here are the key moments from the day’s proceedings:

Key moments from Donald Trump’s fraud trial testimony

Watch: NY AG looks forward to closing case after Ivanka Trump’s testimony

Monday 6 November 2023 23:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Voices: Trump is having a great week...right?

Monday 6 November 2023 23:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Ahmed Baba writes:

Donald Trump seemed to be riding high while heading into court on Monday morning to testify in his civil fraud trial. Over the weekend, a poll was dominating the news cycle. A poll which apparently filled him with this confidence.

The New York Times/Siena College results found Donald Trump leading President Joe Biden in five of six key battleground states. Trump held leads in Arizona (+5%), Georgia (+6%), Michigan (+5%), Nevada (+11%), Pennsylvania (+4%). Biden led Wisconsin with +2%.

Of course, we have to take all polls with a grain of salt, especially this far from election day. Remember the 2022 red wave that never hit our shores? I prefer to look at real-world, recent election results for insight into where the electorate stands.

In any case, Donald Trump clearly felt emboldened. Trump has long held the belief that his legal troubles would help his 2024 campaign, and his team likely looked at the new poll as vindication of that belief. But if we scrutinize his approach and look deeper into the results, there are flashing red warning lights for Trump.

Read more...

Trump is having a great week...right?

ICYMI: Trump posts photo of judge during lunch break

Monday 6 November 2023 22:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump shares his thoughts on the day

Monday 6 November 2023 22:23 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump logged on to Truth Social to share his thoughts on his day in court on Monday evening.

The former president wrote:

I spent the whole day in Manhattan Court, compliments of my Political Opponent, Crooked Joe Biden. Legal Scholars agree that this is a case that should have never been brought, and it wouldn’t have if I wasn’t running (and winning!) for President. MAGA!

Christie responds to crowd boos at Florida Republican event

Monday 6 November 2023 22:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Chris Christie waged a battle with a Trump-loving audience at the Florida Freedom Summit, slamming the crowd for being afraid of the truth and detached from reality.

The former New Jersey governor was greeted with boos at the Gaylord Palms Resort in Kissimmee outside Orlando on Saturday.

Mr Christie, who’s waging what’s seen by many as a doomed campaign to take down Mr Trump, faced the audience’s wrath immediately after entering the stage, with the booing continuing throughout his 15-minute speech, according to CBS News.

“Your anger against the truth is reprehensible,” he told the crowd. “The problem is you want to shout down any voice that says anything different than what you want to hear.”

Gustaf Kilander reports.

Chris Christie responds to crowd boos at Florida Republican event

Meanwhile, in DC...

Monday 6 November 2023 21:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Prosecutors with Special Counsel Jack Smith’s office are calling on Judge Tanya Chutkan to reject former president Donald Trump’s effort to have the election subversion and conspiracy charges against him dismissed, writing in a Monday court filing that Mr Trump “stands alone in American history for his alleged crimes” and pointing out that cases cited by the ex-president’s lawyers don’t support the arguments they’ve made.

“No other president has engaged in conspiracy and obstruction to overturn valid election results and illegitimately retain power. The indictment squarely charges the defendant for this conduct, and the defendant’s constitutional and statutory challenges to it are meritless,” they said.

In the 79-page filing opposing two separate motions filed by Mr Trump’s legal team, Assistant Special Counsels James Pierce and John Pellettieri and Senior Assistant Special Counsels Thomas Windom and Molly Gaston noted that the indictment returned against the ex-president by a Washington, DC grand jury over the summer accused him of “perpetrating an unprecedented campaign of deceit to attack the very functioning of the federal government to collect, count, and certify votes; to obstruct the January 6 congressional proceeding at which the election results are certified; and to disenfranchise millions of voters”.

They further described Mr Trump actions as part of “a concerted criminal effort to overturn the presidential election results and prevent the lawful transfer of power to his successor”.

Read more...

Watch: Trump says ‘court was the fraudster of this case'

Monday 6 November 2023 21:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Watch: NY AG says she will not be bullied and justice will prevail

Monday 6 November 2023 20:56 , Oliver O'Connell

Monday 6 November 2023 20:41 , Oliver O'Connell

Outside of the courtroom Trump says he feels the day went very well and that the case is a scam and should have been dismissed immediately.

“It’s a terrible thing that’s happened here,” he says, launching into his usual diatribe.

He did not answer any questions from reporters.

Monday 6 November 2023 20:33 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump lawyer Alina Habba says they’re going to file a motion for a mistrial.

Judge Engoron allows it, and he’ll have a response when it’s in. Trump’s attorneys say thank you.

“See? I knew it would be a love fest,” says the judge.

Trump’s attorneys say that they plan to complete their case by 15 December.

“A week early!” Justice Engoron says.

He had previously allowed the trial to last until the weekend before Christmas.

Monday 6 November 2023 20:21 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump is asked if he knows of any changes at the Trump Organization as a result of this case.

“I have not heard of any,” he says. “I’ve actually asked for a recommendation if they thought it’s necessary.”

Wallace asks again, more pointedly.

An urgent objection from Habba: “Don’t answer that question, sir.”

Attorneys have previously argued those are conversations protected by attorney-client privilege.

Judge Engoron allows it.

“There will be recommendations made,” Trump says. “It wouldn’t bother me to let you know about it.”

He is asked if those conversations are with accountants or lawyers.

“I would say accountants and I would also say lawyers.”

The attorney general has finished its questions.

There is no cross examination.

Trump is excused and takes a seat at the defence table. His attorneys are talking to the judge about last week’s gag order and making record of court actions for their inevitable appeal.

Trump unloads on judge and AG over case

Monday 6 November 2023 20:11 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump is asked whether any of his statements of financial condition were inflated.

They include “many, many, many pages, a document – the overall number is, some are much higher, some are much lower,” though “the overall net is much, much higher – much, much higher – than the documents submitted.”

“I don’t believe that–”

Here, he cuts himself off and unloads the following:

“I think this case is a disgrace for people looking to move their business in New York … exactly because of this kind of thing.”

The attorney general is “sitting here all day long” while people are being killed, he says.

“I think it’s a disgrace,” he said. “It’s election interference. You want to keep me in this courthouse all day … It’s sad … I want a jury. … I think it’s a disgrace … Legal scholars are saying it’s the most witch hunt they’ve ever seen.”

And to Kevin Wallace, the attorney general counsel questioning him: “You should be ashamed of yourself.”

Judge Engoron takes a breath. He didn’t interrupt Trump on that one. He says he’s following Wallace’s lead.

“Honestly your honour we’re almost close to the end,” Wallace says.

The judge and the AG’s office are just letting Trump do his thing. Engoron says he’s a broken record at this point, and Trump seems to have lost steam compared to his morning testimony.

Monday 6 November 2023 19:59 , Oliver O'Connell

Here is the disclaimer on Trump’s financial statements:

Monday 6 November 2023 19:56 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump is getting impatient up there, repeating that the banks were paid off and pointing to his disclaimer clause defence that the judge dismissed back in September.

“You have no case,” he said. “You had a clause, as we’ve discussed, tells the lender of this money to go out and do your own work … I think a lot of people figured that out today.”

Monday 6 November 2023 19:44 , Alex Woodward

A rhythm develops in court of seeing more documents bearing Trump’s signature, with more clauses requiring accurate statements of financial condition and net worth, for loans at various Trump properties.

He says he has complied with all of these clauses.

This is all evidence laid out previously in arguments in the lawsuit and in testimony, but we’re seeing him respond to them: Trump fraudulently signed off on loan agreements using financial statements that were grossly inflated.

Note: It doesn’t matter if there were no “victims” and if the banks were paid off. That’s not necessary for this kind of trial. And the judge has already found this pattern to be fraudulent.

Monday 6 November 2023 19:43 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump continues to argue that there was no fraud because the banks “got all their money back” and the loan was “paid off in full” and the lenders were “thrilled”.

“There was no loss of money. They made a lot of money, and everyone is trying to figure out why you're doing it ... I understand it. It's called ‘politics’.”

Monday 6 November 2023 19:40 , Oliver O'Connell

“It was a very successful loan as opposed to people who don’t have successful loans. … If interest was due on a Saturday, it was paid on a Friday,” Trump said, unprompted, after an exchange between his attorneys and the judge.

“I paid off part of it a long time ago, I think, over the last fairly short period of time,” he said. “I will check that exactly.”

He said Eric convinced him to pay it off.

Monday 6 November 2023 19:32 , Oliver O'Connell

The loan was signed in November 2012 and the document affirms that financial statements submitted in connection are “true and correct in all material respects” and that Trump’s liquid assets be no less than $50m and his net worth must be no less than $2.5bn.

Trump signed the document.

Court resumes after lunch break

Monday 6 November 2023 19:28 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump did not address the media on his way back into the courtroom after lunch, just giving a thumbs up.

Back on the stand, he is asked about a loan agreement with Deutsche Bank in which he is required to maintain a net worth of $2.5bn for the term of the loan. His signature is on the document.

Trump keeps saying he had a lot of “cash” at the time, “for a long time,” and that “they always wanted to make sure the cash was substantial.”

He says that the contract, which does not say this, meant he could have “a lot of cash” instead. Trump says he believes he complied with the terms.

The Attorney General’s office says Trump’s net worth was far below $2.5bn.

Trump allies planning to invoke Insurrection Act if he wins in 2024

Monday 6 November 2023 19:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump’s conservative allies are crafting a blueprint for a Republican presidency in 2025 which could include the use of US troops to put down protests and acts of civil disobedience across the US resulting from a Trump 2024 election victory.

In an extensive report published on Sunday, The Washington Post detailed the work being done under the umbrella of “Project 2025”, an effort by a coalition of conservative groups to prepare a policy and governing agenda for a GOP president. Though none of its connections to the Trump campaign are official, the Post reports that the coalition has ties to a number of members of Mr Trump’s inner circle, including most prominently Jeffrey Clark, the former assistant US attorney general who is now facing criminal charges in Fulton County, Georgia.

John Bowden reports.

Trump may invoke Insurrection Act to bar protests if he wins 2024 race, says report

Trump posts photo of judge during lunch break

Monday 6 November 2023 19:19 , Oliver O'Connell

Court sketches: Trump testifies

Monday 6 November 2023 19:13 , Oliver O'Connell

Analysis: How Donald Trump’s fraud trial became his presidential campaign

Monday 6 November 2023 18:55 , Oliver O'Connell

From the courthouse in Lower Manhattan, Alex Woodward writes:

The New York State Supreme Court building on Centre Street is a historic landmark dripping with dramatic classical Roman-inspired architecture, with a cavernous circular interior surrounded by the stairwells that wind around it. It was formerly the Tweed Courthouse, named after the corrupt “Boss” Tweed figure of Tammany Hall infamy.

A wide staircase leads to the massive granite columns in the front of the building. Dramatic afternoon light beams into the short hallway in front of heavy wooden doors outside room 300 on the third floor.

Over the last month, the hallway and the courtroom on the other side of it have been filled with members of the press, photographers and video cameras. For five weeks, it has been Donald Trump’s most reliable pulpit.

Until the moment he is called to the witness stand on Monday 6 November, Mr Trump has never been under any obligation to attend the civil trial stemming from a lawsuit from New York Attorney General Letitia James that threatens his family’s vast business and real estate empire.

Read on...

US Politics | Latest news, comment and analysis | The Independent

Watch: Trump attorney Alina Habba complains about judge outside court

Monday 6 November 2023 18:37 , Oliver O'Connell

To counter Maga influence, conservative lawyers launch Society for Rule of Law

Monday 6 November 2023 18:25 , Oliver O'Connell

A group of preeminent conservative lawyers who opposed former president Donald Trump’s efforts to manipulate the legal system are launching a new, long-term project aimed at fostering respect for the US constitution and the rule of law in the legal profession.

The group, which initially began operating in 2018 under the name Checks and Balances, includes preeminent conservative legal figures such as J Michael Luttig, the former Fourth Circuit judge who was shortlisted as a Supreme Court pick during the George W Bush administration, and George Conway, who was former president Donald Trump’s pick to run the Justice Department civil division before he became a prominent critic of the ex-president.

Unlike other groups formed by anti-Trump conservatives during Mr Trump’s presidency, the Checks and Balances group has been a bit of a shoestring operation, until now operating with a small budget raised from its’ members.

But a source familiar with the group’s plans told The Independent that a decision was made by the group’s board to seek outside funding for the purposes of a major relaunch and rebranding operation as the “Society for the Rule of Law,” which has now acquired the proper licenses to operate as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with an affiliated 501(c)(4) “social welfare” organisation that can undertake some political work. The society’s roll-out will include a “Rule of Law summit” taking place on Wednesday evening in Washington.

Andrew Feinberg reports from Washington, DC.

Conservative lawyers to launch Society for Rule of Law to counter Maga movement

NY AG mocks Trump claim at trial

Monday 6 November 2023 18:09 , Oliver O'Connell

Monday 6 November 2023 17:50 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump sits up and smirks with his arms crossed when Kise stands up to object to a line of questions about a 2012 interview with The Wall Street Journal.

That year, they told a reporter that 40 Wall Street was worth $600m. He said he doesn’t remember if he is the “DJT” in an email about it. He also doesn’t know if his email at the Trump Organization is his email.

“I don’t know,” he said. “Not that I know. Might be.”

He eventually conceded it was him.

Court breaks for lunch. Trump makes no comment outside the courtroom to the waiting media.

Monday 6 November 2023 17:48 , Oliver O'Connell

The court was told about a 2015 Forbes article, which says that Trump was very much involved in inflating his assets, and cited a recorded conversation at the time.

Trump counsel Chris Kise objects and when it is played for the court, he calls the recording inaudible. Justice Engoron agrees.

The former president does not like Forbes, famous for its rich list and for discovering the lie about the size of the Trump Tower penthouse.

As Trump rants about the magazine, Justice Engoron appears to have backed off from interjecting and is letting NYAG counsel Wallace deal with the former president as he sees fit.

Full story: Red-faced Trump rages at judge during historic fraud trial testimony

Monday 6 November 2023 17:40 , Oliver O'Connell

The judge overseeing Donald Trump’s trial following years of fraud allegations has repeatedly ordered his attorneys to “control” him for his evasive and meandering answers on the witness stand.

Within the first hour of his testimony on Monday, an increasingly frustrated Judge Arthur Engoron and counsel with the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James have tried to get him to answer questions about his net worth and assets without giving speeches from the stand.

His answers are not only “nonresponsive, they’re repetitive,” the judge said.

Over the next hour, he accused Ms James of trying to “demean” and “hurt” him politically, slammed her as a “political hack” and called the case a “disgrace”.

Gesturing with his hands as he fumed on the witness stand, he turned his complaints towards the judge.

Alex Woodward reports from the courtroom.

Red-faced Trump rages at judge during historic fraud trial testimony

Trump attacks judge and New York AG

Monday 6 November 2023 17:25 , Oliver O'Connell

Monday 6 November 2023 17:21 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump is asked who was responsible for making sure the financial statements were compliant with GAAP, (generally accepted accounting principles, the guiding rules for putting those documents together).

“Were they supposed to be compliant with GAAP? I’m not sure that’s true,” Trump says.

He adds that accounting firms hired by him “had to do something. They got paid a lot of money to do this work.”

“I told two top people to work with the accounting firm to give them anything they needed,” he says.

Trump is asked who was responsible for identifying fraud at the Trump Organization.

He responds sleepily: “Everybody.”

Monday 6 November 2023 17:16 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump isn’t looking at the judge when he says this, but he’s gesturing with his hands.

“You ruled against me and you said I was a fraud,” he says, raising his voice and getting redder in the face.

“He called me a fraud, and he didn’t know anything about me.”

“He’s the one who didn’t value the property correctly,” Trump says, fuming. “How do you call a man a fraud who has a property that’s 50 to 100 times more … It’s a terrible thing you’ve done.”

There’s a beat.

NY AG counsel Kevin Wallace says: “Are you done?”

“Yeah,” the former president replies.

Monday 6 November 2023 17:09 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump says any valuations (over or under) in his statements of financial condition would not have any material effect today because the properties are now worth “much more”.

“I’m worth billions more, so anything that would be a little bit low would be nonmaterial,” he says.

Trump brings up his statements’ “disclaimer” clauses now to argue that even if there were “material” impacts, the banks and lenders etc who relied on the statements should’ve done their own due diligence.

“Probably the statements would be good. Again if there was a mistake it was nonmaterial. And if it was material … we have a disclaimer clause … Don’t under any circumstances count on anything here,” he says.

“That’s why we shouldn’t have a case here,” he adds, saying that other courts would accept them, “except for this particular judge”.

Trump is asked whether those statements are worthless.

“I don’t think they’re worthless at all. Frankly with the disclaimer clause, if there’s any mistake the disclaimer clause covers it,” he says.

He’s now going after the case and the attorney general, saying her office is trying to “demean me” and “hurt me – probably for political reasons, and for her, definitely for political reasons”.

New York Attorney General Letitia James, as usual, is in the courtroom watching everything unfold.

Monday 6 November 2023 17:02 , Oliver O'Connell

As attorneys talk about Trump’s rambling testimony defending his Aberdeen properties, he sits back, crosses his arms, and watches with his chin up. When he’s asked questions again, he uncrosses his arms, leans forward slightly and hunches his shoulders a bit.

NYAG’s office points to Allen Weisselberg’s 2014 statement to UK regulators, stating that the Trump Organization did not intend to develop the Aberdeen properties, because of wind farms.

“I’m not a windmill person,” Trump says.

“They’ll probably come down, like all wind farms come down,” Trump says. “They’re not on the property, they’re miles out … Regardless we have the right to build a very big project.”