Trump reportedly pleaded the Fifth over 400 times during deposition with N.Y. AG
And the Donald Trump news cycle continues.
The former president invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination over 440 times during a Wednesday deposition before lawyers for New York Attorney General Letitia James' office, which is conducting a probe into the Trump Organization's business practices, NBC News reports, per a source close to the situation.
"I once asked, 'If you're innocent, why are you taking the Fifth Amendment?'" Trump wrote in a statement, per NBC News. "Now I know the answer to that question. When your family, your company, and all the people in your orbit have become the targets of an unfounded, politically motivated Witch Hunt supported by lawyers, prosecutors, and the Fake News Media, you have no choice."
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' office is investigating whether the Trump Organization illegally inflated the value of its assets. A spokesperson for the AG later confirmed the former president had taken the Fifth but did not detail the number of times, NBC News reports.
Per Trump attorney Ron Fischetti, the only question Trump answered was about his name. The former president was otherwise asked about "the valuations of various items and golf clubs, signing documents, mortgages, loans and the size of his apartment," and pleaded the Fifth for all of those inquiries, NBC News summarizes, per Fischetti.
The deposition comes only days after FBI agents executed a search warrant at Trump's Florida mansion, in what is believed to be part of a separate investigation into Trump's handling of classified White House documents.
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.
-
Jane Austen lives on at these timeless hotelsThe Week Recommends Here’s where to celebrate the writing legend’s 250th birthday
-
‘Mexico: A 500-Year History’ by Paul Gillingham and ‘When Caesar Was King: How Sid Caesar Reinvented American Comedy’ by David Margolickfeature A chronicle of Mexico’s shifts in power and how Sid Caesar shaped the early days of television
-
GOP wins tight House race in red Tennessee districtSpeed Read Republicans maintained their advantage in the House
-
GOP wins tight House race in red Tennessee districtSpeed Read Republicans maintained their advantage in the House
-
Trump targets ‘garbage’ Somalis ahead of ICE raidsSpeed Read The Department of Homeland Security will launch an immigration operation targeting Somali immigrants in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area
-
Hegseth blames ‘fog of war’ for potential war crimespeed read ‘I did not personally see survivors,’ Hegseth said at a Cabinet meeting
-
‘It’s critical that Congress get involved’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Canada joins EU’s $170B SAFE defense fundspeed read This makes it the first non-European Union country in the Security Action for Europe (SAFE) initiative
-
Appeals court disqualifies US Attorney Alina HabbaSpeed Read The former personal attorney to President Donald Trump has been unlawfully serving as US attorney for New Jersey, the ruling says
-
White House says admiral ordered potential war crimeSpeed Read The Trump administration claims Navy Vice Adm. Frank ‘Mitch’ Bradley ordered a follow-up strike on an alleged drug-smuggling boat, not Pete Hegseth
-
The military: When is an order illegal?Feature Trump is making the military’s ‘most senior leaders complicit in his unlawful acts’
