Buckle up people, Former President Donald Trump is set to take the stand today in his New York civil fraud trial, a case that has already cracked his real estate empire. The trial follows the testimonies of his eldest dimmest sons, Eric and Donald Trump Jr., and is central to his image as a successful businessman. Trump’s highly anticipated testimony comes after decades of legal battles. It will be a fascinating event, considering his “unique rhetorical style” and penchant for man-child behavior.
I am setting the over/under on Judge Engoron telling Trump to simply answer the question at 400.
— Me, knower of crazy people
The New York civil fraud trial is a high-stakes affair for Donald Trump. The case threatens to cost him control of properties like Trump Tower and could have far-reaching financial consequences—like completely emaciating his ability to do business globally. The trial alleges that Trump and other Trump Organization executives inflated property values and manipulated financial statements (this is fancy legal talk for ‘constantly lied and did crimes for several decades’). His testimony today, might trigger the Governor of NY to activate the NY AG to pursue a criminal investigation, because all these civil charges are also crimes. One can hope.
The best way I know to follow the court in real-time is to follow Lisa Rubin and Adam Klasfeld on X/Twitter. They do an amazing job of live tweeting not just the testimony, but giving expert legal analysis as well.
Trump has a history of testifying in various legal proceedings dating back to 1986. His past testimonies and depositions reveal a consistent pattern of behavior: a mix of ego, charm, defensiveness, aggressiveness, sharp language, and deflection—and lots of lies. Trump’s style as a witness often echoes his political persona: bullying. He will probably need an IV drip of Adderall to get through this day.
The ongoing New York trial is so far the pinnacle of Trump’s legal battles, and his testimony is eagerly anticipated, except in MAGA chud world, where they think all his problems are just liberal attacks. Trumps portrayal of the trial as political persecution will likely be a key element in his testimony today. He might become the worst witness of all time.
Trump’s defense team has argued that valuing buildings is subjective and that banks were aware of the risks involved in doing business with him. I can assure you, being a former corporate stooge, if the banks knew the actual valuations, their loan terms would have been entirely different. This is the exact reason Trump did the undervaluing! The word salad here is off the charts.
In an article by the Village Voice in 1979, it’s clear back then Trump just wanted to be a big shot, had very little lust for actual real estate development. He was focused on his personal reputation as a wealthy guy. Daddy Fred must have abused that kid’s mind like a madman.
Trump the building become Trump the management firm. It is clear that while the company’s properties are surely vast, they are exceeded by those of other landlords. The assessed value of the Trump holdings has varied considerably. Today, Donald hints at a figure well in excess of the $200 million estimate he offered the Times in 1976. He says the firm has acquired highly profitable land in Las Vegas and southern California. But Business Week quoted an independent valuation of $100 million.
— Barrett, Wayne. 1979. “How a Young Donald Trump Forced His Way From Avenue Z to Manhattan.” Village Voice.
Back to the trial. We can see clearly that Trump is genuinely unstable in the courtroom, and has so far racked up a couple of fines ($15K) from Judge Engoron for not keeping quiet about the judge’s law clerk, after which made a dramatic exit from the courtroom. He missed the testimony from his sons, Don Jr. and Eric, this week, electing to throw his ketchup bottles at home.
This is the first, and maybe only time, Trump will be on the witness stand as part of his crimes since holding the presidency. As he says … Will Be Wild!
