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Donald Trump could be set for an awkward encounter with his eldest daughter as he is due to attend the first day of a trial over claims he fraudulently overvalued his wealth to secure loans and business deals.
The former president vowed to attend the court hearing to "fight for my name and reputation," after Ivanka Trump was listed as a witness in the New York Attorney General's prosecution case, having previously been named as a co-defendant alongside Donald Trump, his adult sons, and various associates.
The move to becoming a witness in the case against Donald Trump "usually indicates some form of cooperation," an attorney previously told Newsweek. Neither the New York Attorney General's Office nor a lawyer for Ivanka Trump responded to questions about whether there was a deal between the two parties when approached by Newsweek on Thursday.
The trial beginning on Monday is to determine the outstanding allegations against the former president and his named associates after Judge Arthur Engoron ruled on Tuesday that they had overvalued several of Donald Trump's properties—including his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida, and his triplex in Manhattan at the Trump Tower—for financial gain. Newsweek approached Christopher Kise, an attorney for Trump, via email for comment on Monday.
Donald Trump and his sons responded with incredulity to the ruling, which ordered that some of their business licenses in New York be rescinded over the years-long fraud and that the companies that own his properties should be handed over to independent receivers. Donald Trump's lawyers have vowed to appeal the decision.
Judge Engoron will hear arguments on charges including whether Donald Trump and the other defendants falsified business records after fraudulently overvaluing his worth, issued false financial statements, and committed insurance fraud. Donald Trump has denied any wrongdoing and described the case as politically motivated.
Ivanka Trump, who previously served as an executive vice president of the Trump Organization and a senior advisor in his White House, was among 28 names submitted to the Superior Court of New York County on Wednesday to be called in the attorney general's case.
However, she was listed as a former Trump Organization affiliate and owner of Ivanka OPO LLC—through which she has a financial interest in the Old Post Office building in Washington D.C.—rather than a defendant in the case. Her brothers, Eric and Donald Jr., as well as her father, remain defendants.
"Perhaps Ivanka might be cooperating to some level," Jamie White, a Michigan-based attorney who practices personal injury law, criminal defense, and civil litigation, said on Friday. "I don't think it's a frivolous subpoena. But we can't rule out that Trump may have told his daughter: 'Do what you've got to do.'"
He added: "This is a unique turn of events, and as a general matter, we know experienced prosecutors do not bring people to be witnesses only for the purposes of having them take the 5th [amendment]," which protects against self-incrimination.
About the writer
Aleks Phillips is a Newsweek U.S. News Reporter based in London. His focus is on U.S. politics and the environment. ... Read more