Donald Trump Jr. takes the witness stand in New York trial

By Realestates News On Oct 23, 2024

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Donald Trump Jr. testified Wednesday that he never worked on his father’s financial statements, the documents at the heart of the civil fraud trial that threatens former President Donald Trump’s real estate empire.Related video above: New York Attorney General Letitia James shares insights into ongoing Trump suitThe ex-president’s eldest son is an executive vice president of the family’s Trump Organization and has been a trustee of a trust set up to hold its assets when his father was in the White House. But when the son was asked whether he had ever worked on his father’s “statement of financial condition” in any year, the scion said: “Not that I recall.”The lawsuit centers on whether the former president and his business misled banks and insurers by inflating his net worth on the financial statements. He and other defendants, including sons Donald Jr. and Eric, deny wrongdoing.Donald Trump Jr. said he signed off on statements as a trustee, but had left the work to outside accountants and the company’s then-finance chief, Allen Weisselberg.“I had an obligation to listen to the people with intimate knowledge of those things,” he said. “If they put something forward, I wasn’t working on the document, but if they tell me that it’s accurate, based on their accounting assessment of all of the materials. … These people had an incredible intimate knowledge, and I relied on it.”The first family member to testify, Donald Trump Jr. greeted the scene with a quip. “I should have worn makeup,” he jested as news photographers took his photo.He seemed at ease as a lawyer for New York state asked him opening questions about his education and career at the family business. He made some lighthearted asides — for instance, when asked whether he belonged to an accountants organization, he replied, “Sounds very exciting, but no.”The ex-president’s eldest son is kicking off a blockbuster stretch as the trial in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit enters its second month.James, a Democrat, alleges that Donald Trump, his company and top executives, including sons Eric and Donald Jr., conspired to exaggerate his wealth by billions of dollars on his financial statements that were given to banks, insurers and others to secure loans and make deals.Eric Trump is expected to take the stand next. Then the former president, family patriarch and 2024 Republican front-runner is slated for Monday. State lawyers have also expected to call his eldest daughter, ex-Trump Organization executive and White House adviser Ivanka Trump, as their final witness on Nov. 8. On Wednesday, her lawyer filed an appeal challenging a judge’s decision to require her testimony.Both of the ex-president’s eldest sons are executive vice presidents at the Trump Organization. Eric Trump has oversight over the company’s operations, while his brother has been involved in running the company’s property development.Before the trial, Judge Arthur…