Judge Arthur Engoron presides over the civil fraud trial of former President Donald Trump and his children at New York Supreme Court, making a significant decision in favor of the defense. The judge ruled in favor of Trump’s attorneys, overruling an objection from the New York attorney general’s office to admit a PowerPoint presentation showcasing the history of the Trump Organization.
During the presentation, Donald Trump Jr. walked through the history of the company, going back to his great grandfather’s creation of hotels for miners during the gold rush in the Yukon territory in Canada. The PowerPoint, titled “The Trump story,” included photos of Donald Trump with his father, Fred Trump, as well as images of various Trump buildings.
The presentation also covered Trump’s purchase of Mar-a-Lago in 1985, which Trump Jr. described as “one of the few sort of American castles.” The defense faced objections from the attorney general’s office, claiming that the text descriptions in the presentation were coaching the witness. However, Judge Engoron allowed the presentation, stating “Objection is overruled. Let him go ahead and talk about how great the Trump Organization is.”
This decision comes after weeks of the judge rejecting objections from Trump’s lawyers during the attorney general’s presentation. However, Engoron has also sided with Trump’s team, including stating that he’d allow their experts to testify to avoid a retrial and potential reversal. The judge’s decision to allow the presentation suggests that he is willing to give leeway to both sides in their presentation during the trial.
The civil fraud trial of Donald Trump and his children has been closely watched and has now seen a significant ruling in favor of the defense. The court’s decision to permit the presentation of the Trump Organization’s history could have implications for the outcome of the trial.