Trump credits his “brand” for winning the presidency

New York Lawyer Common Letitia James’ workplace on Friday launched a months-old video of former President Donald Trump talking in a deposition for the civl fraud lawsuit filed towards him.

In the course of the video, Trump might be heard telling James and her workers that they “haven’t got a case” towards him, in addition to saying his political success might be attributed to his well-known “model.”

James has accused Trump, his grownup sons and The Trump Group of fraudulently overvaluing their belongings to safe extra favorable financial institution loans and taxation offers. The New York lawyer basic’s lawsuit initially sought $250 million in damages, however James elevated this to $370 million, plus curiosity, in a court docket submitting earlier this month. She argued the brand new quantity mirrored new proof that had come to mild throughout the trial.

The Related Press reported the seven-hour deposition video—recorded behind closed doorways on April 13, 2023—was launched by James following requests from media shops underneath New York’s Freedom of Info Regulation. Legal professionals for the previous president beforehand included a transcript from the choice in an August trial docket.

In the course of the deposition, Trump estimated his “model” was price “perhaps $10 billion.”

He then referred to as his “model” the “most precious asset I’ve” earlier than seemingly crediting it for serving to him win the White Home.

“I turned president due to the model, OK,” Trump mentioned. “I turned president. I believe it is the most well liked model on the earth.”

Newsweek reached out to a consultant for Trump by way of e mail for touch upon Friday evening.

Elsewhere within the video, Trump tells James and her workers that the lawsuit towards him has no benefit and that the banks he labored with “haven’t any complaints.”

“Are you aware the banks made some huge cash?” he mentioned. “And but you are suing on behalf of banks, I suppose. It is loopy. The entire case is loopy.”

In one other second, Trump described his rationale for placing The Trump Group right into a belief after he gained the 2016 election, saying he needed to be a “official president.”

He additionally spoke of the worth he added to the place of the presidency, in addition to claiming he probably prevented a nuclear warfare resulting from his relationship with North Korean chief Kim Jong Un.

“I thought-about this a very powerful job on the earth, saving thousands and thousands of lives,” Trump mentioned within the deposition. “I believe you’d have nuclear holocaust if I did not take care of North Korea. I believe you’d have a nuclear warfare, if I weren’t elected. And I believe you may need a nuclear warfare now, if you wish to know the reality.”

Replace 01/19/24, 9:52 p.m. ET: This text has been up to date to incorporate additional data.