This deposition was part of a New York civil fraud case, where Trump was intensively questioned for nearly seven hours by attorneys from the New York attorney general's office. They probed into the business practices of his company and the roles his children played within the Trump Organization.
When quizzed about the shift in his role within the Trump Organization after being elected president, Trump emphasized the gravity of the presidency, describing it as "the most important job in the world, saving millions of lives." He further elaborated, "I think you would have had a nuclear holocaust if I hadn't intervened with North Korea. If I hadn't been elected, I believe there would have been a nuclear war. And to be honest, I think there's still a possibility of one now."
Shedding light on the roles of his sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, both of whom are executive vice presidents at the Trump Organization and are also named in the lawsuit, Trump revealed that their responsibilities within the company evolved once he assumed the presidency. He stated, "Their involvement with the company intensified, while I was practically not involved at all. I seldom had any dealings with the company."
This deposition is a component of a lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James against Trump, the Trump Organization, and two of Trump's children, alleging significant fraud. Notably, Trump's daughter, Ivanka, was initially a part of the lawsuit but was later exempted by a state appeals judge. Ahead of a hearing scheduled for September 2, Trump's legal team made public a 479-page deposition transcript. This hearing could potentially settle some or all aspects of the lawsuit before its slated trial in October.
In a distinct court document that was filed on the same day, James accuses Trump of exaggerating his net worth by a staggering $2.2 billion in 2014. She further alleges that between 2011 and 2021, Trump deceived lenders, insurers, and others. Consequently, James has urged Judge Arthur Engoron to rule against Trump, at least partially, before the trial set for October 2.
During this April deposition, Trump seemed to downplay the attorney general's allegations, suggesting that James should "drop the case."
