Trump Repeats False Claim That He ‘Won’ N.Y. Fraud Case As Judgment Nears

Donald Trump made headlines when he attended a hearing in his New York fraud trial in December.

As he spoke to reporters outside the trial, Trump celebrated the fact that his daughter, Ivanka Trump, had been spared as a defendant in the case. However, his claim that he had already “won” the case in an appeals court was false.

The civil trial, presided over by New York State Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron, has already seen a summary judgment ruling against Trump that holds him liable for fraud. The current focus of the proceedings will determine the extent of punishment for the fraud committed.

The judge’s ruling, which is expected in January, could strip Trump of his New York real estate assets.

Trump criticized Judge Engoron while he praised a June decision by a New York appeals court to remove Ivanka as a co-defendant. However, Trump’s assertion that this decision meant he had already “won” the case was inaccurate. 

The appeals court ruling only removed claims that fell outside the statute of limitations, and the trial still has to address the rest of the claims within the statute of limitations. Notably, the June decision removed claims from before 2014, which included those that directly implicated Ivanka.

Despite claims being dismissed, older evidence and related witness testimony are still used to support active claims within the statute of limitations. 

Trump said, “We won at the appellate division.”

He continued, “Part of that victory was Ivanka not having to put herself through this. And they ruled that. But the bigger part of that was that about 90 percent, because of the statute of limitations, about 90 percent of the case disappears.”

In October, Judge Engoron reminded Trump’s lawyers that statutes of limitations only pertain to claims and not evidence, which countered their argument that he had disregarded the appeals court ruling. 

New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) filed the $250 million lawsuit against Trump and alleges that he inflated his assets illegally to secure favorable business loans. Although Ivanka is no longer directly involved in the case, Trump’s two eldest sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., along with the Trump Organization, remain co-defendants.

The trial continues to unfold as the focus shifts towards the determination of the appropriate consequences for the fraud committed by Trump.