in the hot seat
Trump deposed by New York AG
Former President Donald Trump was deposed on Wednesday as part of New York Attorney General Letitia James' investigation into whether he illegally inflated the value of his assets, NBC News reports. The former president said in a statement shortly afterward that he pleaded the Fifth and "declined to answer the questions under the rights and privileges afforded to every citizen under the United States Constitution."
James' office has claimed in court filings to have "uncovered substantial evidence establishing numerous misrepresentations in Mr. Trump's financial statements provided to banks, insurers, and the Internal Revenue Service" and is considering filing a civil suit against the former president.
Trump had earlier taken to his Truth Social platform to condemn the investigation. "In New York City tonight," he truthed Tuesday. "Seeing racist N.Y.S. Attorney General tomorrow, for a continuation of the greatest Witch Hunt in U.S. history! My great company, and myself, are being attacked from all sides. Banana Republic!" Trump has previously described James and other Black prosecutors investigating him as racists.
On Wednesday morning, the former president confirmed the deposition was going ahead. "At the very plush, beautiful, and expensive A.G.'s office. Nice working conditions, as people are being murdered all over New York — and she spends her time and effort on trying to 'get Trump,'" he truthed at around 9:30 a.m.
Trump also shared a video compilation that accused James of "abusing" her office and showed her referring to him as an "illegitimate president."