Ivanka Trump, the former president’s daughter and adviser, is set to testify as a witness in a civil fraud trial against her father, Donald Trump, and her brothers, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump. The trial, which is scheduled to start on November 29, 2023, is brought by the New York attorney general, Letitia James, who accuses the Trumps of inflating the value of their assets to obtain loans and insurance deals.
The trial could expose the inner workings of the Trump Organization, the family’s business empire, and reveal how the Trumps allegedly misled investors, lenders, insurers and tax authorities. The case focuses on four projects: the Trump SoHo hotel in New York, the Seven Springs estate in Westchester County, New York, a golf course in Los Angeles and an office building in Chicago.
Ivanka Trump’s testimony could be damaging for her father and her brothers, as she was involved in some of the projects under investigation. For example, she was a key figure in the marketing of the Trump SoHo hotel, which was later sued by buyers who claimed they were duped by false statements about its sales and profitability. She also claimed in a 2012 interview that the Seven Springs estate was worth $120 million, while it was valued at only $20 million by the tax authorities.
Mary Trump, the former president’s niece and a vocal critic of him, said that Ivanka Trump could tell the truth and throw her father under the bus to protect herself. She also said that Donald Trump would do the same to his children if he needed to, because he doesn’t care about anybody.
“I think she’s much less likely to stay loyal than the boys are because she has more to lose. I think she’s very aware of what it would mean for her brand if she were to be associated with some of these things,” Mary Trump told CNN on Tuesday.
Mary Trump also said that Ivanka Trump’s testimony could hurt Donald Trump’s chances of running for president again in 2024, as it could tarnish his image as a successful businessman and leader.
The former president has denied any wrongdoing and called the civil fraud trial a “witch hunt” by the Democratic attorney general. He also said he is not concerned about any aspect of the case and expects to prevail on the merits.
“I’m not concerned about any aspect of this civil case. I look forward to prevailing on the merits,” Donald Trump said in a statement last week.
Ivanka Trump has not commented publicly on the trial, but she has expressed her support for her father on social media. On October 23, she tweeted: “We will never stop fighting for our country or our president.”
Relevant articles:
– Ivanka Trump Could Throw Her Father ‘Under the Bus’—Mary Trump, Newsweek, Nov 02, 2023
– Why Ivanka Trump’s Testimony Should Terrify Her Father, MSN, Oct 23, 2023
– Judge orders Ivanka Trump to testify in family’s civil fraud trial – as it happened, The Guardian, Oct 27, 2023
– How Ivanka Trump’s NY Fraud Trial Testimony Can Hurt Donald Trump and Her Brothers, Business Insider, Nov 01, 2023