🎙️ Voice is AI-generated. Inconsistencies may occur.
Attorney Alina Habba's prolonged disappearance during former President Donald Trump's New York civil fraud trial has sparked rumors that a settlement is being devised in the case.
New York Attorney General Letitia James has sued Trump and his family, including sons Donald Jr. Trump and Eric Trump, for $250 million, accusing them of frequently inflating Trump's net worth and the value of his assets by billions of dollars from 2011 to 2021 to secure better deals and loans. The Trump family has dismissed the accusations and maintained their innocence, accusing prosecutors of being politically motivated and attempting to harm Trump's 2024 presidential campaign.
New York Judge Arthur Engoron ruled last month that Trump, his adult sons, their businesses, and executives committed fraud, for which they will be held civilly liable to an extent to be determined throughout the rest of the trial. The court will also rule on six other accusations, including falsifying business records, insurance fraud, and conspiracy claims. Engoron himself will rule on the charges, as Trump's legal team did not opt for a jury trial. The result could see the former president and his family lose some of their famous properties and be barred from doing business in New York.
On Tuesday, various reporters on the scene in the New York courthouse where the fraud trial was set to continue noted that the day's session had been delayed while Habba, one of Trump's key attorneys in the case, conferred privately with Judge Engoron. Later, she emerged from the meeting and left the courtroom.
"We have been waiting to start this afternoon's session for nearly 20 minutes as Jason Flemmons, the current witness, sits and waits with us," MSNBC legal analyst Lisa Rubin wrote in a thread on X, the platform previously known as Twitter. "Judge Engoron first conferenced privately with Trump lawyer Alina Habba, who then left the courtroom and has not returned; he is now conferring with 4 lawyers for the AG: Kevin Wallace, Lou Solomon, Colleen Faherty, and Andy Amer. Why? No one knows."
Later, Law360 reporter Frank G. Runyeon made a similar observation, floating the possibility that Habba's meeting with Engoron could have something to do with a settlement for the case.
"Very curious. Sitting here & 25 min late on our planned return. Trump atty Habba walked out from chambers, alone. Then, AG's attorneys head in," Runyeon wrote. "Recently, Trump complained about a low-ball settlement offer... Settlement bid afoot? They return. We continue. Who knows."
Daily Beast reporter Jose Pagliery attempted to pour cold water on the idea, suggesting that it is unlikely that James's office and the Trump family could reach agreed-upon terms.
"Folks, it'll be a cold day in hell when the Trumps & New York AG agree to shelve this trial," Pagliery wrote. "The judge might drown Trump in fines ranging from $250 million to a gazillion dollars. And the entire Trump Org could end up in receivership soon. What would the Trumps counteroffer?"
In another post later on, Rubin noted that Habba's position not just as an attorney for Trump in the fraud trial, but also her position as general counsel for his Save America and the fact that she has seemingly been examining fewer witnesses would make her "the best positioned to negotiate on behalf of Team Trump."
Newsweek reached out to Habba's office via email for comment.
fairness meter
About the writer
Thomas Kika is a Newsweek weekend reporter based in upstate New York. His focus is reporting on crime and national ... Read more