Although Mr. Trump invoked his constitutional right against self-incrimination when he was initially questioned by the office last year, he answered questions from the attorney general, Letitia James, and her attorney in the April affidavit, the transcript of which was released on Wednesday.
The transcript shows the combative Mr. Trump, who is named as a defendant in the case along with his firm and three of his children, at times barely letting lawyers get a word in. The former president often seems personally upset at the idea of his wife’s net worth being questioned.
Mr Trump is seeking to have the case dismissed. A judge could rule on those efforts next month, but for now it looks like the case will head to trial in early October.
Here are some highlights from the transcript of his testimony:
Mr. Trump refers to his time in the Oval Office with marked understatement.
Kevin Wallace, a senior attorney in Ms. James’ office, asked the former president about his relationship with his firm. He said he wasn’t the final decider, though he later indicated he might be involved in “something big, final decisions, whatever”.
Kevin Wallace: Mr. Trump, are you currently the person with final decision-making power in the Trump Organization?
Donald J. Trump: no.
Mr. Wallace: Who would that be?
Mr. Trump: My son Eric is more involved in this than I am. I’ve been doing other things.
Mr. Trump claims to have protected the world from nuclear war while in office.
In an exchange shortly thereafter, Trump admitted that those other things include being president.
Mr. Trump: I’ve been very busy. I considered this the most important job in the world, saving millions of lives. I think you would have a nuclear holocaust if I didn’t deal with North Korea. I think you will have a nuclear war, if I am not elected. I think you might have a nuclear war now, if you want to know the truth.
Mr. Trump declines to say who has expressed interest in buying Mar-a-Lago.
During the deposition, Mr. Trump claimed to own “the greatest pieces of real estate in the world” and said that if he put it up for sale, the quoted prices would be amazing. At some point, Mr. Wallace decided to test one of these assertions.
Mr. Trump: People have said to me, if you sell Mar-a-Lago, please call me. This is not for sale.
Mr. Wallace: And who told you that, for example?
Mr. Trump: Well, I’d rather not say that because I don’t want to embarrass them, and maybe put some of those people to the test.
Later in the hearing, Trump said that although he did not know who the specific people were making such offers, “I know they are very wealthy people.”
Mr Trump mocks his annual financial statements, saying he never felt they were taken seriously.
The Attorney General v. Trump case focuses on his annual financial statements, which it says overvalue his estate by as much as $2.2 billion each year.
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