Former President Donald Trump addressed reporters on Tuesday morning outside the New York City courtroom where his civil fraud trial is currently taking place.
New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) filed a lawsuit against Trump, his company, and his adult sons, seeking $250 million in penalties and attempting to prevent them from doing business in New York. The suit alleges that they engaged in fraud by exaggerating their assets for over a decade.
Judge Arthur Engoron determined in a summary judgment last September that Trump had committed fraud. The ongoing trial aims to determine the extent of his penalties, which could potentially include the dissolution of his company in the state and the forced sale of some of his major assets.
Trump addressed reporters, stating, “We’re at a trial today that, in my opinion, should not be taking place. As you know, I recently testified, and I want to make it clear that I believe I did nothing wrong. Others who were after me were alone. We were paid back. It was a good transaction, and we would do it again.”
He also praised his own testimony, calling it “powerful.” Trump indicated that other executives from banks would corroborate his statements. He continued to express his discontent with the trial, echoing his previous rhetoric.
In response to the allegations of inflated asset values, Trump asserted that his assets are actually worth “close to 100 times” what was claimed by James’s office. He concluded, “The actual worth is much more than that, so there’s no fraud.”
The scheduled witnesses for the trial on Tuesday include a real estate appraiser who evaluated Trump’s 40 Wall Street property and a Trump Organization accountant responsible for the company’s internal financial record-keeping.
In addition to discussing the trial, Trump also expressed his frustration with a partial gag order imposed on him in his Washington, DC federal election case. He labeled the situation as “rigged” and criticized what he perceived as interference with his right to free speech.
Trump attributed these developments to the Department of Justice, asserting that they were orchestrated by the current administration. He criticized President Biden and those surrounding him, characterizing them as “thugs.” Trump expressed his belief that he is the leading Republican candidate by a significant margin and claimed that he is being unfairly treated.
In conclusion, the former President stated, “That’s all coming out of the Department of Justice. It’s all set up by Biden and his associates to secure an election victory that he’s not entitled to because he’s been, in my opinion, the worst president in the history of our country.”
