🎁 💸 Warren Buffett's Top Picks Are Up +49.1%. Copy Them to Your Watchlist – For FreeCopy Portfolio

Key moments from Trump's testimony at New York fraud trial

Published 11/06/2023, 05:31 PM
Updated 11/06/2023, 05:53 PM
© Reuters. Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks on the day he attends the Trump Organization civil fraud trial, in New York State Supreme Court in the Manhattan borough of New York City, U.S., November 6, 2023. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

By Jack Queen

(Reuters) - Donald Trump testified for roughly four hours on Monday at his civil fraud trial in New York, as the former U.S. president used the witness stand to boast about his wealth and lash out at the judge overseeing the case.

Here are four key moments from his testimony:

JUDGE SAYS 'NOT A POLITICAL RALLY'

While facing questions about his net worth and the value of his assets, Trump tested Justice Arthur Engoron’s patience by rambling about his wealth, the beauty of his properties and his grievances with the justice system.

"Can you control your client?" Engoron asked Trump’s lawyer. "This is not a political rally. This is a courtroom."

Engoron at one point said Trump’s answers were repetitive and irrelevant and warned that he might dismiss Trump as a witness, though that never came to pass.

TRUMP SAYS PROPERTY VALUATIONS NOT IMPORTANT

Trump testified that his company did not provide accurate estimates of the value of some of his trophy properties to banks.

Some properties, like his Mar-a-Lago estate and Doral golf course in Florida were undervalued, he said, while others like his Trump Tower residence in New York and his Seven Springs estate north of the city were overvalued.

He said that should not matter because the estimates included language stating that they might not be accurate and banks did not take them seriously.

"You’ve made it important, but it wasn’t," Trump said in reference to the New York Attorney General's office that brought the case.

'I HAVE A CASTLE'

New York state lawyer Kevin Wallace asked Trump if he built any houses in Aberdeen, Scotland between 2013 and 2014, when the value of his property there increased substantially.

“I have a castle,” Trump replied, one of many times where he did not directly answer the question posed.

Referring to a residential development in Aberdeen, Trump said: "I just don’t want to build it now. You’ve probably read, I’m doing other things."

'HOPE THE PUBLIC IS WATCHING'

© Reuters. Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks on the day he attends the Trump Organization civil fraud trial, in New York State Supreme Court in the Manhattan borough of New York City, U.S., November 6, 2023. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton

Trump grew increasingly agitated as the day wore on, reprising the same inflammatory remarks about Engoron and New York Attorney General Letitia James that he has routinely made throughout the trial that began on Oct. 2.

"This is a very unfair trial, very, very unfair, and I hope the public is watching," said Trump, a Republican who has accused elected Democrat James of political bias.

Latest comments

Risk Disclosure: Trading in financial instruments and/or cryptocurrencies involves high risks including the risk of losing some, or all, of your investment amount, and may not be suitable for all investors. Prices of cryptocurrencies are extremely volatile and may be affected by external factors such as financial, regulatory or political events. Trading on margin increases the financial risks.
Before deciding to trade in financial instrument or cryptocurrencies you should be fully informed of the risks and costs associated with trading the financial markets, carefully consider your investment objectives, level of experience, and risk appetite, and seek professional advice where needed.
Fusion Media would like to remind you that the data contained in this website is not necessarily real-time nor accurate. The data and prices on the website are not necessarily provided by any market or exchange, but may be provided by market makers, and so prices may not be accurate and may differ from the actual price at any given market, meaning prices are indicative and not appropriate for trading purposes. Fusion Media and any provider of the data contained in this website will not accept liability for any loss or damage as a result of your trading, or your reliance on the information contained within this website.
It is prohibited to use, store, reproduce, display, modify, transmit or distribute the data contained in this website without the explicit prior written permission of Fusion Media and/or the data provider. All intellectual property rights are reserved by the providers and/or the exchange providing the data contained in this website.
Fusion Media may be compensated by the advertisers that appear on the website, based on your interaction with the advertisements or advertisers.
© 2007-2024 - Fusion Media Limited. All Rights Reserved.