NY AG Tish James slams Donald Trump Jr.’s testimony in fraud case: ‘Facts don’t lie’
New York Attorney General Letitia James slammed Donald Trump Jr.’s performance on the stand in the civil fraud case that threatens his family’s real estate empire — saying in a video that the Trumps “try to impress and distract” but “facts don’t lie.”
“After spending a full day walking through a marketing presentation to sell us all on the greatness of the Trump Organization, the defendant still did not make a single point to refute the case we brought against them,” James said in a video posted to her X account Monday, following Don Jr.’s testimony.
“The Trumps can try to impress and distract with glossy pictures of golf courses and glowing descriptions of condominium towers,” the AG said. “But we all know the facts of this case and the facts don’t lie.”
“This is a courtroom, not a boardroom,” she added.
James was apparently referring to a slideshow titled “The Trump Story” that defense attorneys displayed in Manhattan Supreme Court during the former first son’s testimony and that gave a history of the Trump real estate empire going back to Don Jr.’s great-grandfather’s developments in the Yukon territory of Canada.
Don Jr., 45, told the court that his father, former President Donald Trump, was an “artist of real estate” and gushed that Trump Organization properties were “sexy” and “crown jewels.”
He was the first witness called by the Trump legal team as it began presenting its side on Monday in James’ lawsuit alleging the ex-president lied on annual financial statements for a decade, exaggerating his net worth to the tune of billions a year to get better loan and insurance terms.
Don Jr., — who previously took the witness stand two weeks ago in the AG’s case — was questioned for about four hours on by his attorneys Monday in what appeared to be a sales pitch about how great his dad and Trump Org properties were.
On Tuesday, Trump’s side called accountant Jason Flemmons as an expert witness, who testified that disclaimers on the financial statements — which Trump has claimed clear him of liability — served as a “user beware” warning to banks.
They included the “highest level disclaimer” about the accuracy of Trump’s assets, Flemmons claimed, according to ABC News.
The language in the disclaimer allowed Trump to put valuations that dramatically departed from generally accepted accounting principles, he testified.
Trump has maintained that the clause should get him off the hook in the suit, but Justice Arthur Engoron — who is deciding the non-jury case — has ruled that the disclaimer actually puts “the onus for accuracy squarely on defendants’ shoulders.”
James called her final witness, Ivanka Trump, last week as part of her $250 million lawsuit against the ex-president, his two eldest sons and the family real estate company.
Trump’s three children, Don Jr., Ivanka and Eric, all denied having anything to do with making the yearly statements during their testimony over the past two weeks.
During Trump’s testimony, he also denied any wrongdoing in the case and accused the judge and James of carrying out a fraud against him.
Trump, 77, has taken every opportunity in front of media cameras and on his platform Truth Social to personally attack James and the judge in the case.
James has also posted a slew of videos meant to rebuff Trump’s comments and his defense case.
Trump lawyers have confirmed that Eric is also slated to be recalled to the witness stand as part of the defense case.
It is possible that the former commander-in-chief will also be recalled at some point before the defense rests around Dec. 15.
