Eric Trump insists he had NOTHING to do with the financial reports at the center of the $250 million fraud case against his family business – after the judge joked with Don Jr. about wearing makeup on camera
Eric Trump denied ever having anything to do with financial reports about his father’s real estate empire as he appeared as a witness in a civil fraud trial.
The former president’s son raised his voice angrily as he was questioned repeatedly about documents related to the family business, the Trump Organization.
He told a New York court: “We are a large organization, a huge real estate organization, of course I understand that we absolutely have financial reports.”
But he added: “I was not involved nor did I work on my father’s financial statement.”
Previously, Eric appeared in court with his brother Don Jr. and holding thumb signs.
Eric Trump (l.) and Donald Trump Jr. (r.) arrive in court in New York
Eric Trump gives a thumbs up before taking a stand
There were even more thumbs up from Don Jr. as he entered the courtroom
Judge Arthur Engoron allowed the media in the courtroom to take photos.
The judge joked: “Is everyone wearing their make-up?” and added: “Do you think they have enough photos?”
Both Trump brothers are testifying today in a $250 million civil fraud trial.
Judge Engoron has already ruled that former President Donald Trump, Don Jr. and Eric, and the Trump Organization fraudulently inflated the values of their properties to secure favorable loan terms.
Attorney General Andrew Amer asked Eric Trump about an email from a decade ago in which he said details about the family’s personal finances should be released to a limited number of people.
Eric Trump responded: “You don’t want 1,200 people seeing your personal finances.”
He added: “I was 26 at the time. I don’t think I ever saw or worked on a financial statement. I don’t think I would have known about it, not about what I did.
Don Jr., 45, took the stand Wednesday and Thursday morning before Eric was called.
In his testimony, Don Jr. admitted that he signed financial documents that the judge found to be forged.
However, he suspected that the blame lay with others who worked on the documents.
Don Jr. said he relies on accountants within the Trump Organization and outside the Mazars firm to ensure that financial estimates related to Trump properties and other assets are accurate.
“They had more information and details about all of this than I would have,” he said. “That’s why we have accountants.”
The financial documents are at the center of the trial that threatens to undermine the Trump family’s real estate empire.
Don Jr.’s testimony ended just before lunch and his brother Eric was expected to follow him to the stand.
The two brothers took control of the Trump Organization in 2017 when their father became president of the United States.
Don Jr. told the court that the company has improved its accounting since New York Attorney General Letitia James began investigating its finances.
Donald Trump Jr. and lawyer Alina Habba (l.) in court
Eric Trump is waiting to testify
The company’s top financial officer is now a certified public accountant, unlike previous finance chief Allen Weisselberg, he said.
Weisselberg pleaded guilty to tax crimes in a separate case in 2022.
Trump, the front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, is expected to testify in the case on Monday.
James is seeking at least $250 million in damages and a permanent ban on Trump, Don Jr. and Eric from conducting business in New York state.
The civil trial is expected to last until December.
In a late-night social media post earlier this week, Trump took aim at the judge.
He wrote: ‘Leave my children alone, Engoron.’ They are a disgrace to the legal profession!’
The former president has been to court several times to observe the trial.
Last week, he sat scowling at the defendant’s table as Michael Cohen, his former personal lawyer and fixer, testified.
Cohen told the court that Trump directed him to manipulate the values of his company’s assets.
Donald Trump instructed Judge Arthur Engoron (r.) to “leave my children alone”
New York Attorney General Letitia James (r.) in court
The trial is one of a series of cases Trump is grappling with as he fights to retake the White House.
He is charged with a total of 91 crimes in four separate criminal cases, including two cases involving attempts to overturn his 2020 election defeat.
Trump has denied wrongdoing in all of his criminal and civil cases.
In the New York case, he accused Judge Engoron of political bias.
When the trial resumed on Thursday, he wrote on social media: “This is a major miscarriage of justice.”
Judge Engoron has already fined Trump $15,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order that prohibits him from publicly criticizing court personnel.