Don Jr's testimony gives us a glimpse of defence team's strategy
Brandon Livesay
Reporting from New York
ReutersCopyright: Reuters
Don Jr cracked jokes with the judge, boasted about Trump
properties and spent much of his time on the stand walking the court through what
was essentially a PowerPoint presentation.
He was the first witness called by the defence, and today's testimony gives us an insight into the strategy we might see from Trump’s legal team over the next few weeks.
We
can expect a series of witnesses who will tell the judge how valuable and impressive Trump properties
are.
Former president Donald
Trump is also likely to return as a defence witness, and so is his son Eric.
For a full recap of what happened today in court, you can
read this article.
And to find out why an expert called this trial a legal "disaster" for Trump, check out this analysis.
Our court reporters today were Natalie Sherman and Chloe Kim. This page was edited by Brajesh Upadhyay and myself.
Thanks for joining us.
A recap of Donald Trump Jr's testimony
Chloe Kim
Reporting from court
Donald Trump Jr appeared in New York court once again, this time to be questioned by the defence team. Here's what happened:
Trump was relaxed and made multiple jokes. At one point Trump joked about a photo of his younger brother Eric, saying there's "a lot of Photoshop"
The questioning focused on the Trump Organization's portfolio of properties - the defence displayed a slideshow and questioned Don Jr on his recollection of each property
Trump claimed the organisation was run like a "mom and pop" business and says his father is a "genius" and an "artist with real estate”
Trump suggested Mar-a-Lago is “one of the few sort of American castles" and added that "you couldn't build [its] atrium for $18m today"
Cross examination was swift, with the state's legal team challenging Trump on the success of various businesses he had praised during his testimony
Donald Trump calls the judge 'obsessed'
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
While his son was testifying in court, Donald Trump shared an angry message to his social media account.
The former president said the "Trump hating judge" was "obsessed", and called on him to stop the case.
Trump continued to label the trial a "political witch hunt", a phrase he has used repeatedly throughout the trial.
Next witness on the stand
Donald Trump Jr has left the courtroom.
In a departure of high profile witnesses, a tax lawyer - Sheri Dillon - now takes the stand.
She's already testified and Judge Engoron welcomes her back, adding it's like a "Trump trial reunion".
She's discussing the tax benefits that come when developers sign an easement that sets aside land for conservation - as Trump did with the Seven Springs property in New York.
Attorney General James has argued that Trump used an inflated value for that property when he claimed the tax deduction.
Don Jr says Old Post Office was a 'war zone' before Trump
Natalie Sherman
Reporting from court
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
The Waldof Astoria, the former Trump International Hotel at the Old Post Office Building in Washington DC (file picture)Image caption: The Waldof Astoria, the former Trump International Hotel at the Old Post Office Building in Washington DC (file picture)
Before the cross-examination, We heard about another property that the Trump Organization developed, which it has since sold - the former Post office building in Washington.
Don Jr said it looked like a "war zone" before the renovation.
In emphasising the value the company created in the property, he has attempted to drive home a point he was asked to make repeatedly during his time on the stand this morning.
Don Jr says New York will be 'begging' for Donald Trump to come back
Don Jr emerged from the courtroom after his testimony with a broad smile and walked straight to waiting media.
He said it was a "sad state of affairs for New York", and that no one was complaining about the Trump Organization's loans other than the New York Attorney General.
Don Jr said the people of New York will eventually be "begging" for Donald Trump to "come back" and "reshape the skyline".
He also briefly mentioned the death of his aunt, Maryanne Trump Barry, saying it was a tough day for the family.
A brief, but shattering cross examination
The cross-examination of Don Jr was brief and instantly shifted the atmosphere
of the courtroom.
Prosecutor Colleen Faherty asked Don Jr about vacancy rates at 40 Wall
Street and about the Trump Organization’s partner in a Hawaii hotel trying to
exit their partnership.
Despite being
breathtakingly brief, it spoiled the picture of the supremely successful
business that Don Jr had spent the morning painting.
What's the future for the Trump Organization?
The defence ends its questioning asking Don Jr what future he sees for the Trump Organization.
"A lot of that depends on what happens next November," he says with a laugh. "We'll probably be put on hold for a little while and be sued to oblivion."
"After that we're going to continue to do what we do," he says.
He does not mention the outcome of this case, which has also put the Trump Organization's operations in peril.
Judge calls property evidence a 'stupid document'
ReutersCopyright: Reuters
Earlier, before going on break, defence lawyers presented a history of the Trump Organization, as told through a slideshow of photos of the company's properties.
This court sketch shows Don Jr near a screen image of the Trump golf course outside of Doral, Florida. The defence team wanted this to be admitted as a piece of evidence.
The judge, however, did not seem impressed and called what looked like a property brochure a “stupid document".
However, the court eventually agreed to admitting it into evidence.
Don Jr is back in court and on the stand
Chloe Kim
Reporting from court
Donald Trump Jr is back on the stand now and the defence has started to ask about Trump Turnberry, a hotel and golf resort in Scotland.
Before the session resumed, he was standing and chatting to defence lawyer Alina Habba.
Who is Allen Weisselberg?
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
It's the name that keeps coming up in this civil trial. Allen Weisselberg, Donald Trump's long-serving chief financial officer, is a key co-defendant who has admitted he knew
that the former president was inflating the size of his apartment in Trump Tower.
Weisselberg said the apartment measured some
10,000 sq feet ( 929sq m), a third of the 30,000 sq feet (2,787 sq m) suggested by
financial records.
The
civil lawsuit alleges that Weisselberg engineered financial statements
to meet Trump's demands that they show increases in his net worth and that he signed off on
lofty valuations for assets.
Weisselberg
has been overseeing the Trump Organization’s finances for decades and he also managed
the former president’s personal tax returns.
Last year, he pleaded guilty to 15 criminal charges in a criminal tax
evasion case involving Trump’s family business. He was accused of taking
more than $1.7 million in back-channel payments from the company.
Donald Trump’s many legal battles
While court is on a lunch break, let's take a moment to delve into some of Donald Trump's other legal worries.
This civil case is one of several ongoing court cases the Republican presidential frontrunner is dealing with.
He also faces three criminal indictments.
Two of them relate to his alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and another is about alleged false accounting over hush money.
Trump also faces 40 criminal charges over his alleged mishandling of classified material after he left the White House.
Altogether, Trump faces 91 felony charges, including 44 federal and 47 state charges.
He denies all the charges.
.Copyright: .
Recap of the day so far
Natalie Sherman
Reporting from court
This morning was the first chance for the Trump team to offer its side of the story.
Donald Trump Jr appeared at the trial for a second time. He was confident and appeared at ease, cracking jokes with the judge.
He has been presenting a history of the Trump Organization, as told through a slideshow of photos of the company's properties.
Prosecutors tried to argue that the testimony was irrelevant, but the judge signalled he was prepared to offer leeway to the defence, to remove the possibility of a retrial.
That gave Don Jr free reign to praise his father's approach to real estate, painting the former president as a development genius with an ability to turn untouched swampland into the pinnacle of luxury.
Don Jr makes the court laugh -- including Judge Engoron
Chloe Kim
Reporting from court
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images
This Monday session of court has seen more jokes than usual. Here are a few:
The defence asks if Trump wants to show the sketch artists this good photo of him included in the slideshow. Trump jokes that he already had a talk with the sketch artists during his last testimony (when he told them to make him look "sexy"). He adds that he wants the AI version of himself - jaws, shoulders and all
One that made Judge Engoron laugh was when Don Jr discussed his lack of interest in golf: “I’m, like, the nongolfer of the family, which has relegated me to the children’s table in perpetuity.”
Defence attorney Cliff Robert says he needs someone smarter than him to replace batteries in a remote. Judge Engoron jokes: "Is there anyone smarter than you?"
While discussing the Bedminster, New Jersey, property Trump Jr says it's out in "horse country", adding that as New Yorker he has to "throw the New Jersey dig in every once in a while".
The defence's slideshow shows a photo of Don Jr's brother, Eric Trump. He jokes he would have a lot of fun commenting on the picture but says he'll "refrain" - and then quips "a lot of Photoshop". The court laughs
Court breaks for lunch
Judge Engoron has paused court so everyone can grab lunch.
Don Jr was one of the first people to walk out the door. He smiled at the waiting media cameras but did not make a statement.
Court usually breaks for just over an hour.
But stay with us, we will continue to bring you analysis and insights from the courtroom.
Attorney General exits the courtroom early
Chloe Kim
Reporting from court
Attorney General Letitia James has just exited the courtroom.
It is unclear why she has left, but the court is about to break for lunch - as is typical for Judge Engoron's usual schedule.
We'll let you know if she returns today.
'An artist with real estate'
Natalie Sherman
Reporting from court
Donald Trump's business reputation has taken a beating since he entered the White House, as scrutiny has revealed years of losses at his properties and punctured his claims about net worth.
For a few hours, at least, Don Jr appears intent on reclaiming his father's reputation as a skilled developer.
Asked about development after development, he has suggested that his father had a unique ability to create luxury from nothing and was at the cutting edge of wider trends in property.
"He's an artist with real estate," he said at one point. "He see the things that other people don't see. He sees the thing that other people would never envision. He plays the long game."
It's hard to discern the legal strategy, but that focus on his father's long-term, and evolving vision may be a way of explaining why his father valued properties more highly than others.
Don Jr jokes he wants an AI version of his court sketch
ReutersCopyright: Reuters
And now we have Donald Trump Jr's sketch from the witness stand. He was spotted looking at the sketch when he was returning from a break.
Earlier, the defence team asked if Trump wanted to show the courtroom artists a photo of himself.
Don Jr replied, "we already had a talk", referring to when he told an artist last week to make him "look sexy".
Today, he says he wants the AI version of himself - with a strong jaw, shoulders.
His mood is very laidback in the courtroom, a stark contrast to the combative testimony from his father.
What would losing this case mean for Trump?
A victory for prosecutors would mean Donald Trump and his company would have to pay a $250m (£204m) fine and be banned from doing business in New York.
That could potentially prise Trump Tower and the rest of his holdings from his grasp.
The Trump Organization could be forced to hand over control to a court-appointed receiver, or ultimately have to sell some of its most iconic landmarks.
Earlier this year, Forbes estimated that Trump’s New York properties alone are worth $720m, a sizable chunk of his estimated $2.5bn fortune.
Don Jr says his dad is a 'genius'
GettyCopyright: Getty
Donald Trump Jr stops to look at a courtroom sketch as he returns from a breakImage caption: Donald Trump Jr stops to look at a courtroom sketch as he returns from a break
Don Jr has frequently spoken in glowing terms about his father, Donald Trump.
He has called him a "genius" and an "artist with real estate” who uses property as his "canvas".
He also says "my
father was on the leading edge of creating... value".
Live Reporting
Edited by Brandon Livesay and Brajesh Upadhyay
All times stated are UK
ReutersCopyright: Reuters 
-
Trump was relaxed and made multiple jokes. At one point Trump joked about a photo of his younger brother Eric, saying there's "a lot of Photoshop"
-
The questioning focused on the Trump Organization's portfolio of properties - the defence displayed a slideshow and questioned Don Jr on his recollection of each property
-
Trump claimed the organisation was run like a "mom and pop" business and says his father is a "genius" and an "artist with real estate”
-
Trump suggested Mar-a-Lago is “one of the few sort of American castles" and added that "you couldn't build [its] atrium for $18m today"
-
Cross examination was swift, with the state's legal team challenging Trump on the success of various businesses he had praised during his testimony
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images 
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images The Waldof Astoria, the former Trump International Hotel at the Old Post Office Building in Washington DC (file picture)Image caption: The Waldof Astoria, the former Trump International Hotel at the Old Post Office Building in Washington DC (file picture) 
ReutersCopyright: Reuters 
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images 
.Copyright: . 
-
Donald Trump Jr appeared at the trial for a second time. He was confident and appeared at ease, cracking jokes with the judge.
-
He has been presenting a history of the Trump Organization, as told through a slideshow of photos of the company's properties.
-
Prosecutors tried to argue that the testimony was irrelevant, but the judge signalled he was prepared to offer leeway to the defence, to remove the possibility of a retrial.
-
That gave Don Jr free reign to praise his father's approach to real estate, painting the former president as a development genius with an ability to turn untouched swampland into the pinnacle of luxury.
Getty ImagesCopyright: Getty Images -
The defence asks if Trump wants to show the sketch artists this good photo of him included in the slideshow. Trump jokes that he already had a talk with the sketch artists during his last testimony (when he told them to make him look "sexy"). He adds that he wants the AI version of himself - jaws, shoulders and all
-
One that made Judge Engoron laugh was when Don Jr discussed his lack of interest in golf: “I’m, like, the nongolfer of the family, which has relegated me to the children’s table in perpetuity.”
-
Defence attorney Cliff Robert says he needs someone smarter than him to replace batteries in a remote. Judge Engoron jokes: "Is there anyone smarter than you?"
-
While discussing the Bedminster, New Jersey, property Trump Jr says it's out in "horse country", adding that as New Yorker he has to "throw the New Jersey dig in every once in a while".
-
The defence's slideshow shows a photo of Don Jr's brother, Eric Trump. He jokes he would have a lot of fun commenting on the picture but says he'll "refrain" - and then quips "a lot of Photoshop". The court laughs
ReutersCopyright: Reuters 
GettyCopyright: Getty Donald Trump Jr stops to look at a courtroom sketch as he returns from a breakImage caption: Donald Trump Jr stops to look at a courtroom sketch as he returns from a break
Latest PostDon Jr's testimony gives us a glimpse of defence team's strategy
Brandon Livesay
Reporting from New York
Don Jr cracked jokes with the judge, boasted about Trump properties and spent much of his time on the stand walking the court through what was essentially a PowerPoint presentation.
He was the first witness called by the defence, and today's testimony gives us an insight into the strategy we might see from Trump’s legal team over the next few weeks.
We can expect a series of witnesses who will tell the judge how valuable and impressive Trump properties are.
Former president Donald Trump is also likely to return as a defence witness, and so is his son Eric.
For a full recap of what happened today in court, you can read this article.
And to find out why an expert called this trial a legal "disaster" for Trump, check out this analysis.
Our court reporters today were Natalie Sherman and Chloe Kim. This page was edited by Brajesh Upadhyay and myself.
Thanks for joining us.
A recap of Donald Trump Jr's testimony
Chloe Kim
Reporting from court
Donald Trump Jr appeared in New York court once again, this time to be questioned by the defence team. Here's what happened:
Donald Trump calls the judge 'obsessed'
While his son was testifying in court, Donald Trump shared an angry message to his social media account.
The former president said the "Trump hating judge" was "obsessed", and called on him to stop the case.
Trump continued to label the trial a "political witch hunt", a phrase he has used repeatedly throughout the trial.
Next witness on the stand
Donald Trump Jr has left the courtroom.
In a departure of high profile witnesses, a tax lawyer - Sheri Dillon - now takes the stand.
She's already testified and Judge Engoron welcomes her back, adding it's like a "Trump trial reunion".
She's discussing the tax benefits that come when developers sign an easement that sets aside land for conservation - as Trump did with the Seven Springs property in New York.
Attorney General James has argued that Trump used an inflated value for that property when he claimed the tax deduction.
Don Jr says Old Post Office was a 'war zone' before Trump
Natalie Sherman
Reporting from court
Before the cross-examination, We heard about another property that the Trump Organization developed, which it has since sold - the former Post office building in Washington.
Don Jr said it looked like a "war zone" before the renovation.
In emphasising the value the company created in the property, he has attempted to drive home a point he was asked to make repeatedly during his time on the stand this morning.
Don Jr says New York will be 'begging' for Donald Trump to come back
Don Jr emerged from the courtroom after his testimony with a broad smile and walked straight to waiting media.
He said it was a "sad state of affairs for New York", and that no one was complaining about the Trump Organization's loans other than the New York Attorney General.
Don Jr said the people of New York will eventually be "begging" for Donald Trump to "come back" and "reshape the skyline".
He also briefly mentioned the death of his aunt, Maryanne Trump Barry, saying it was a tough day for the family.
A brief, but shattering cross examination
The cross-examination of Don Jr was brief and instantly shifted the atmosphere of the courtroom.
Prosecutor Colleen Faherty asked Don Jr about vacancy rates at 40 Wall Street and about the Trump Organization’s partner in a Hawaii hotel trying to exit their partnership.
Despite being breathtakingly brief, it spoiled the picture of the supremely successful business that Don Jr had spent the morning painting.
What's the future for the Trump Organization?
The defence ends its questioning asking Don Jr what future he sees for the Trump Organization.
"A lot of that depends on what happens next November," he says with a laugh. "We'll probably be put on hold for a little while and be sued to oblivion."
"After that we're going to continue to do what we do," he says.
He does not mention the outcome of this case, which has also put the Trump Organization's operations in peril.
Judge calls property evidence a 'stupid document'
Earlier, before going on break, defence lawyers presented a history of the Trump Organization, as told through a slideshow of photos of the company's properties.
This court sketch shows Don Jr near a screen image of the Trump golf course outside of Doral, Florida. The defence team wanted this to be admitted as a piece of evidence.
The judge, however, did not seem impressed and called what looked like a property brochure a “stupid document".
However, the court eventually agreed to admitting it into evidence.
Don Jr is back in court and on the stand
Chloe Kim
Reporting from court
Donald Trump Jr is back on the stand now and the defence has started to ask about Trump Turnberry, a hotel and golf resort in Scotland.
Before the session resumed, he was standing and chatting to defence lawyer Alina Habba.
Who is Allen Weisselberg?
It's the name that keeps coming up in this civil trial. Allen Weisselberg, Donald Trump's long-serving chief financial officer, is a key co-defendant who has admitted he knew that the former president was inflating the size of his apartment in Trump Tower.
Weisselberg said the apartment measured some 10,000 sq feet ( 929sq m), a third of the 30,000 sq feet (2,787 sq m) suggested by financial records.
The civil lawsuit alleges that Weisselberg engineered financial statements to meet Trump's demands that they show increases in his net worth and that he signed off on lofty valuations for assets.
Weisselberg has been overseeing the Trump Organization’s finances for decades and he also managed the former president’s personal tax returns.
Last year, he pleaded guilty to 15 criminal charges in a criminal tax evasion case involving Trump’s family business. He was accused of taking more than $1.7 million in back-channel payments from the company.
Donald Trump’s many legal battles
While court is on a lunch break, let's take a moment to delve into some of Donald Trump's other legal worries.
This civil case is one of several ongoing court cases the Republican presidential frontrunner is dealing with.
He also faces three criminal indictments.
Two of them relate to his alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and another is about alleged false accounting over hush money.
Trump also faces 40 criminal charges over his alleged mishandling of classified material after he left the White House.
Altogether, Trump faces 91 felony charges, including 44 federal and 47 state charges.
He denies all the charges.
Recap of the day so far
Natalie Sherman
Reporting from court
This morning was the first chance for the Trump team to offer its side of the story.
Don Jr makes the court laugh -- including Judge Engoron
Chloe Kim
Reporting from court
This Monday session of court has seen more jokes than usual. Here are a few:
Court breaks for lunch
Judge Engoron has paused court so everyone can grab lunch.
Don Jr was one of the first people to walk out the door. He smiled at the waiting media cameras but did not make a statement.
Court usually breaks for just over an hour.
But stay with us, we will continue to bring you analysis and insights from the courtroom.
Attorney General exits the courtroom early
Chloe Kim
Reporting from court
Attorney General Letitia James has just exited the courtroom.
It is unclear why she has left, but the court is about to break for lunch - as is typical for Judge Engoron's usual schedule.
We'll let you know if she returns today.
'An artist with real estate'
Natalie Sherman
Reporting from court
Donald Trump's business reputation has taken a beating since he entered the White House, as scrutiny has revealed years of losses at his properties and punctured his claims about net worth.
For a few hours, at least, Don Jr appears intent on reclaiming his father's reputation as a skilled developer.
Asked about development after development, he has suggested that his father had a unique ability to create luxury from nothing and was at the cutting edge of wider trends in property.
"He's an artist with real estate," he said at one point. "He see the things that other people don't see. He sees the thing that other people would never envision. He plays the long game."
It's hard to discern the legal strategy, but that focus on his father's long-term, and evolving vision may be a way of explaining why his father valued properties more highly than others.
Don Jr jokes he wants an AI version of his court sketch
And now we have Donald Trump Jr's sketch from the witness stand. He was spotted looking at the sketch when he was returning from a break.
Earlier, the defence team asked if Trump wanted to show the courtroom artists a photo of himself.
Don Jr replied, "we already had a talk", referring to when he told an artist last week to make him "look sexy".
Today, he says he wants the AI version of himself - with a strong jaw, shoulders.
His mood is very laidback in the courtroom, a stark contrast to the combative testimony from his father.
What would losing this case mean for Trump?
A victory for prosecutors would mean Donald Trump and his company would have to pay a $250m (£204m) fine and be banned from doing business in New York.
That could potentially prise Trump Tower and the rest of his holdings from his grasp.
The Trump Organization could be forced to hand over control to a court-appointed receiver, or ultimately have to sell some of its most iconic landmarks.
Earlier this year, Forbes estimated that Trump’s New York properties alone are worth $720m, a sizable chunk of his estimated $2.5bn fortune.
Don Jr says his dad is a 'genius'
Don Jr has frequently spoken in glowing terms about his father, Donald Trump.
He has called him a "genius" and an "artist with real estate” who uses property as his "canvas".
He also says "my father was on the leading edge of creating... value".