Donald Trump Jr. is scheduled to provide testimony on Wednesday afternoon in a civil fraud trial taking place in New York. The trial involves accusations against the former U.S. president and his family businesses for allegedly inflating asset values to deceive lenders and insurers.
Donald Jr., currently serving as the executive vice president at the Trump Organization and a co-defendant in the case, will be the first of Trump’s adult children to take the stand. Following his testimony, Eric and Ivanka Trump are expected to testify. Their father is set to provide his testimony on Monday.
Despite holding a commanding lead over his rivals for the Republican presidential nomination, as indicated by opinion polls for the November 2024 election against Democrat Joe Biden, Trump is confronting numerous legal challenges. He faces four separate criminal prosecutions, including cases in Washington and Georgia, related to his attempts to overturn his 2020 election defeat.
The lawsuit, filed by Democratic New York Attorney General Letitia James, accuses Trump, his two adult sons, and a few of their family businesses of artificially inflating their assets by billions of dollars to secure more favorable loan terms. Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing, often alleging political bias on the part of James and the judge presiding over the case.
While a limited gag order prevents Trump from publicly discussing court staff, he has breached it twice, resulting in a $15,000 fine for attacking Justice Arthur Engoron’s top clerk, whom he has accused of bias. Trump has also claimed that the gag order violates his right to free speech.
Although Trump is not required to attend the trial, he has made occasional appearances, including a recent dramatic reunion with his former lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen, who testified against him.
Donald Jr., who, along with his co-defendant brother Eric Trump, assumed significant management responsibilities of the Trump Organization from their father in 2017, plays a central role in the case. He oversees key components of the Trump real estate empire and has also been an active political figure in support of his father. His forthcoming testimony could intensify the contentious trial, marked by confrontations between legal representatives and witnesses, as well as heated debates concerning the admissibility of evidence.
The trial primarily focuses on damages, with James seeking at least $250 million in fines, a permanent ban on Trump and his two adult sons from conducting businesses in New York, and a five-year commercial real estate ban against Trump and the Trump Organization.
