Donald Trump Warns Judge to 'Leave My Children Alone'

Donald Trump has lashed out at the judge overseeing his civil fraud trial as three of his children are due to testify at the New York courtroom.

In a post on Truth Social, the former president told Judge Arthur Engoron to "leave my children alone" ahead of Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Ivanka Trump answering questions under oath as part of New York Attorney General Letitia James' $250 million fraud lawsuit.

Eric and Donald Trump Jr., senior executives at the family real estate business, The Trump Organization, are accused in James' lawsuit of assisting the former president as he fraudulently inflated the value of his properties and assets in financial statements to obtain perks such as tax breaks and better bank loans. Ivanka Trump, who left The Trump Organization in 2017 to join her father's White House administration, was originally named in James' lawsuit but was dismissed from the case in June due to the statute of limitations for most of the allegations against her.

Engoron ordered Ivanka Trump to testify as witness in the civil trial after she was subpoenaed by James' office, who said she was a key "point of contact and negotiator" with Deutsche Bank for three loans which form a major part of James' investigation. Donald Trump and his sons deny wrongdoing.

Writing on social media, Trump attacked Engoron while also suggesting the case should be thrown out following the testimony of his former attorney, Michael Cohen, who told the court that the former president never directly asked him to inflate his properties in financial statements. Trump also again dismissed Palm Beach County tax appraiser's valuations that his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida is worth around $18 million based on its restricted use as a social club. The former president has frequently claimed the property is worth up to $1.5 billion as a residential property.

"This Rigged Trial, brought by the Racist New York State A.G. Letitia James before Trump and developer Hating Judge, Arthur Engoron, which should have never been brought in that the so-called STAR WITNESS, SleazeBag Lawyer (for many people) Michael Cohen, admitted last week on the stand that he LIED, and also that your favorite President, Donald J. Trump, or anyone from the Trump Organization, NEVER TOLD HIM TO INFLATE VALUES ON FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, the opposite of what he told the A.G. in order to get this HOAX started," Trump wrote.

"Therefore, on that fact alone, this Fake Case should be dismissed. Additionally, however, the Financial Statements Values are Conservative (LOW!), Mar-a-Lago is worth MUCH MORE than $18,000,000, there is a 100% Disclaimer Clause on the 1st page of the Statements, the Banks and Insurance Companies were paid in full, no defaults, they all made money, and there is no Victim (except me!).

"Leave my children alone, Engoron. You are a disgrace to the legal profession," he added.

Trump's legal team has been contacted for further comment via email.

Engoron has twice fined Trump after ruling that the former president violated a gag order imposed to stop him attacking the judge's court staff. Trump is free to criticize the judge or the case against him under the order.

Donald Trump Jr. is the first of Trump's children to take the stand in the civil trial, and will testify on Wednesday, November 1. Eric Trump's testimony is set for Thursday, with the former president scheduled to testify on Monday, November 6.

Ivanka Trump was originally scheduled to take the stand to answer questions about her family's business dealings on Friday, but it will now take place on November 8 so there is more time for her to answer questions. Sessions at the New York Supreme Court usually only last half a day on Fridays.

Engoron has already ruled that Trump had committed fraud by misrepresenting the value of his properties for years, including his Mar-a-Lago resort. The civil trial is now considering six remaining allegations in James' lawsuit, as well as the size of the penalty.

Trump faces being banned from doing business in New York state, having his properties removed from his control or being forced to pay a fine totaling hundreds of millions of dollars.