Former President Donald Trump on Thursday blasted New York Judge Arthur Engoron and defended his sons Donald Trump, Jr. and Eric Trump, who he said are being “persecuted in a political witch hunt.”
Both of Trump’s sons took the stand this week in the non-jury civil trial stemming from New York Attorney General Letitia James’ lawsuit against Trump’s family and businesses.
Trump slammed Engoron, saying he was “hurting my very good children” and working to “damage & defame” him in an effort to interfere with the 2024 presidential election.
Eric Trump arrives at New York Supreme Court in New York on Oct. 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
The former president and 2024 Republican presidential primary frontrunner posted to his Truth Social account Thursday afternoon, as his son Eric Trump was on the stand testifying.
“When Judge Arthur Engoron, one of the most overturned, on Appeal, Judges on the ‘bench,’ stated that a Billion Dollar House is only worth 18 Million Dollars, & made numerous other mistakes, as well, he is the ‘Fraudster,;’ not me,” Trump posted.
Donald Trump, Jr. and former President Donald Trump. (Douglas P. DeFelice/Getty Images)
“He is just doing this out of his personal ‘Hatred of TRUMP,’ his love of the publicity that this case is getting him, & his lack of respect for the Appeals Court (He is in total violation of their order ending much of this Witch Hunt right now. He refuses to do what they say he must!),” he continued.
Former President Donald Trump and his lawyer, Alina Habba, right, appear during his trial at the New York State Supreme Court in New York on Oct. 17, 2023. (Doug Mills/The New York Times/Bloomberg via Getty Images)
“Engoron is a wacko who is having a great time endlessly sanctioning, fining, & pushing around ‘TRUMP,’ hurting my very good children, & working to damage & defame me for purposes of Interfering with the 2024 Presidential Election, all this while never admonishing our failed & corrupt Attorney General, whose ‘Star Witness’ admitted he lied, & that I did NOT tell him to inflate values, a total reversal,” Trump wrote. “Their whole case was based on this single LOSER, so it should be dismissed!”
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Trump’s post came amid his son Eric Trump’s testimony, and a day after his eldest son Donald Trump, Jr. took the stand to defend their business.
“So sad to see my sons being PERSECUTED in a political Witch Hunt by this out of control, publicity seeking, New York State Judge, on a case that should have NEVER been brought,” Trump said. “Legal Scholars Scream Disgrace!”
Again, Trump maintained that his worth is “far greater than on financial statements, plus they contain a full DISCLAIMER CLAUSE telling readers of this information to do their own due diligence and analysis.”
Former President Donald Trump and New York Judge Arthur Engoron. (Fox News)
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“Banks and Insurance Companies made money, not even a minor default, and there were NO VICTIMS, except for the people getting mugged and murdered on the sidewalks of New York while our Corrupt Attorney General sits on her ass in Court all day watching the Trump family be abused by a Trump Hating Judge that said a Billion Dollar house is only worth $18,000,000 Million Dollars!!!” Trump posted.
Engoron imposed a partial gag order in the trial, blocking all parties from making derogatory statements about his court staff.
Engoron first fined Trump $5,000 for violating the order on social media, and threatened imprisonment if further violations were committed.
Last week, Engoron fined Trump another $10,000, claiming he was again in violation of the order by making a comment about a member of his staff.
Attorney General Letitia James arrives outside New York Supreme Court ahead of former President Donald Trump’s civil trial on Oct. 2, 2023. (AP Photo/Brittainy Newman)
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It is unclear if Engoron will view this Truth Social post as a violation of the gag order.
Meanwhile, the “star witness” Trump referred to is his former attorney Michael Cohen, who testified as part of the civil trial last week. After Cohen testified that Trump did not specifically direct him to inflate assets, Trump’s legal team demanded an immediate verdict and case dismissal, but Engoron rejected their effort. Trump, in another post, again said Cohen “admitted on the stand that he lied.”
Michael Cohen speaks to reporters after a second day of testimony before a grand jury in Manhattan. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer)
The former president’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, was also set to testify this month, but her attorneys filed an appeal Wednesday to reverse her requirement to do so.
Former President Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka Trump (Ivanka Trump)
The trial comes after James, a Democrat, brought a lawsuit against Trump last year alleging he and his company misled banks and others about the value of his assets. James claimed Trump’s children Donald Jr., Ivanka and Eric, as well as his associates and businesses, committed “numerous acts of fraud and misrepresentation” on their financial statements.
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Engoron in September ruled that Trump and the Trump Organization committed fraud while building his real estate empire by deceiving banks, insurers and others by overvaluing his assets and exaggerating his net worth on paperwork used in making deals and securing financing.
Engoron’s ruling came after James sued Trump, his children and the Trump Organization, alleging that the former president “inflated his net worth by billions of dollars” and said his children helped him to do so.