Eric Trump Testimony Began 'March Towards Defeat' in Fraud Trial: Attorney

After Eric Trump testified in his father's $250 million civil fraud trial, former federal prosecutor Renato Mariotti said Friday that his testimony began a "march towards defeat."

The trial stems from a lawsuit New York Attorney General Letitia James filed last year, alleging that former President Donald Trump and top executives at his family company, The Trump Organization, conspired to increase his net worth by billions of dollars on financial statements provided to banks and insurers to make deals and secure loans. Trump, who is campaigning for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination and is the current frontrunner, has denied any wrongdoing and has called the trial politically motivated. Eric and Donald Trump Jr., senior executives of The Trump Organization, are also accused of assisting the former president and have been set to testify along with Ivanka Trump.

While Eric Trump wrapped up his testimony on Friday, he reiterated that he relied on others to ensure the financial statements were accurate. However, documents shown during the trial by the attorney general's legal team also showed Eric Trump had to sign off on the statements estimating the values of some of The Trump Organization's properties.

During an MSNBC appearance on Friday, Mariotti was asked about his thoughts on Eric Trump's testimony and what this could mean for the former president in the case.

"I think they basically know they are headed towards defeat. I really think the defeat was shown when Eric Trump pleaded the fifth 500 times in his deposition and at that point it could be held against him. From then on it's really about a slow march towards defeat for Trump in this particular lawsuit," Mariotti said.

He added that he believes Trump's defense will continue to try to shift the narrative that they relied on accountants and lawyers to ensure the financial statements were accurate.

"They have to blame somebody and I will tell you, you can bet your bottom dollar that the accountants and lawyers are not going to march in there and say it was all their fault. I do think that's where they have to go and that's why they're trying to shift the narrative. Trump, when he gets caught in one lie, he always tries to pivot to another," Mariotti said.

Mariotti's prediction comes after other legal analysts have weighed in on Eric Trump's testimony and the subsequent expected testimony of Ivanka Trump as they explain how their testimony lays the foundation for the rest of the former president's case.

On Wednesday in an MSNBC blog post for The Rachel Maddow Show, former litigator and MSNBC legal analyst Lisa Rubin explained how Eric Trump's expected testimony may be a missing link in the case.

"Put another way, Eric's testimony—assuming he recalls various events and testifies truthfully—could help establish the missing link in the attorney general's remaining claims: intent, both his own and those of his co-defendants," Rubin wrote.

Meanwhile, former federal prosecutor Glenn Kirschner, a legal analyst for NBC and MSNBC and frequent Trump critic, suggested that things are "about to go from bad to worse" for the former president when he and his three children testify in the civil trial.

"Do you really think Don Jr., Eric and Ivanka are going to be able to withstand the rigors of examination and cross-examination? They are hostile witnesses, they will be cross-examined by New York Attorney General Letitia James' team," he said last week during his online show Justice Matters.

Newsweek has reached out to Trump via email for further comment.