According to Newsweek, former President Donald Trump falsely claimed victory in his New York fraud trial, asserting that an appeals court decision removing his daughter Ivanka Trump as a co-defendant meant he had “won” the case. Trump made these remarks outside the Manhattan court where he is facing a civil trial over allegations of fraud. The trial is currently in its final stages, focusing on the extent of Trump’s liability for the fraud after Justice Arthur Engoron ruled in a summary judgment that he was liable.
The June decision by a New York appeals court removed Ivanka as a co-defendant based on claims that were outside the statute of limitations. Trump incorrectly portrayed this decision as a comprehensive victory, stating that “about 90 percent of the case disappears.” However, the trial is not deciding the claims dismissed by the appeals court ruling, and some older evidence and related testimony are being used to prove active claims within the statute of limitations.
Despite Trump’s claims, Justice Engoron, presiding over the trial, has not acknowledged the appeals court decision as a complete victory, emphasizing that the trial continues to assess the claims within the statute of limitations. Ivanka, while no longer a direct defendant, had previously testified in her father’s trial following a ruling compelling her participation. The case, brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, alleges that Trump inflated his assets illegally to secure favorable business loans. Trump’s two eldest sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., along with the Trump Organization, remain co-defendants in the ongoing trial.
