Trump must testify in New York AG's probe into his company, judge rules
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Former President Donald Trump must testify in New York Attorney General Letitia James' civil investigation into his business practices, a judge ruled Thursday, per The Associated Press.
The judge, Arthur Engoron, ordered Trump, as well as his two eldest children — Ivanka and Donald Trump Jr. — to comply with James' December-issued subpoenas and sit for a deposition within 21 days.
Should Engoron's ruling be upheld (and it is "almost certain to be appealed," AP writes), it could "force the former president into a tough decision about whether to answer questions, or stay silent, citing his Fifth Amendment right against self incrimination."
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
James' long-running civil probe into the Trump Organization centers around whether the company misled lenders by inflating the value of its assets. Meanwhile, the Manhattan district attorney's office is leading a concurrent criminal investigation.
Trump's testimony in the civil investigation could be used against him in the criminal investigation, AP notes. Another one of the ex-president's children — Eric Trump — as well as former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg have previously sat for depositions in the civil investigation, where they "invoked their Fifth Amendment rights hundreds of times."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brigid Kennedy worked at The Week from 2021 to 2023 as a staff writer, junior editor and then story editor, with an interest in U.S. politics, the economy and the music industry.
-
Political cartoons for February 16Cartoons Monday’s political cartoons include President's Day, a valentine from the Epstein files, and more
-
Regent Hong Kong: a tranquil haven with a prime waterfront spotThe Week Recommends The trendy hotel recently underwent an extensive two-year revamp
-
The problem with diagnosing profound autismThe Explainer Experts are reconsidering the idea of autism as a spectrum, which could impact diagnoses and policy making for the condition
-
Judge blocks Hegseth from punishing Kelly over videoSpeed Read Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed for the senator to be demoted over a video in which he reminds military officials they should refuse illegal orders
-
Trump’s EPA kills legal basis for federal climate policySpeed Read The government’s authority to regulate several planet-warming pollutants has been repealed
-
House votes to end Trump’s Canada tariffsSpeed Read Six Republicans joined with Democrats to repeal the president’s tariffs
-
Bondi, Democrats clash over Epstein in hearingSpeed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi ignored survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and demanded that Democrats apologize to Trump
-
El Paso airspace closure tied to FAA-Pentagon standoffSpeed Read The closure in the Texas border city stemmed from disagreements between the Federal Aviation Administration and Pentagon officials over drone-related tests
-
Judge blocks Trump suit for Michigan voter rollsSpeed Read A Trump-appointed federal judge rejected the administration’s demand for voters’ personal data
-
US to send 200 troops to Nigeria to train armySpeed Read Trump has accused the West African government of failing to protect Christians from terrorist attacks
-
Grand jury rejects charging 6 Democrats for ‘orders’ videoSpeed Read The jury refused to indict Democratic lawmakers for a video in which they urged military members to resist illegal orders
