Former President Donald Trump on Friday reacted to the $355 million judgment in his civil fraud trial in his typical fashion: with a lengthy outburst onTruth Social.
“A Crooked New York State Judge, working with a totally Corrupt Attorney General who ran on the basis of ‘I will get Trump,’ has just fined me $355 Million based on nothing other than having built a GREAT COMPANY,” Trump wrote in a multi-part screed on Truth Social. “ELECTION INTERFERENCE. WITCH HUNT.”
A New York State Supreme Court judge ruled on Friday that Trump owes the state more than $350 million in damages for decades of fraudulent business dealings, including instances of grossly overstating his wealth in an effort to secure favorable business loans from banks and insurers.
Among his most egregious exaggerations was the overvaluing of his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida by as much as 2,300% and claiming his Trump Tower penthouse was three times its actual size.
Trump, the front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination, also emailed out a lengthier statement in response to the judgment.
“This ‘decision’ is a Complete and Total SHAM,” the statement said in part. “There were No Victims, No Damages, No Complaints. Only satisfied Banks and Insurance Companies (which made a ton of money), GREAT Financial Statements, that didn’t even include the most valuable Asset ― The TRUMP Brand, IRONCLAD Disclaimers (Buyer Beware, and Do your Own Due Diligence), and amazing Properties all over the World.”
The former president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., also released a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, claiming bias by Judge Arthur Engoron.
“We’ve reached the point where your political beliefs combined with what venue your case is heard are the primary determinants of the outcome; not the facts of the case!” Trump Jr. posted. “It’s truly sad what’s happened to our country and I hope others see it before it’s too late to correct course!”
Both he and his brother Eric Trump were slapped with $4 million fines for their role in their father’s fraudulent business transactions.
Trump lawyer Alina Habba also released a statement describing the ruling as part of a “multi-year, politically fueled witch hunt,” and called for an appellate court to overturn the verdict.
Engoron’s ruling was incredibly damning.
“Their complete lack of contrition and remorse borders on pathological. They are accused only of inflating asset values to make more money,” the ruling said of the Trump organization. “The documents prove this over and over again.”