Unlike her father and brothers before her, Ivanka Trump’s testimony in a civil case that targets the family business was largely subdued on Wednesday.
The former president’s daughter spent hours on the witness stand, fielding questions from both state lawyers and those representing former President Trump, who is one of several defendants in the case. Ivanka Trump was later previously as a defendant in the matter.
The trial began on Oct. 2 and is expected to last until mid-December. Ivanka Trump was the state’s last witness to be called to the stand this week. The defense will present its case to the judge, and it’s own set of witnesses begining Monday.
Follow below for a recap of the day’s events from The Hill’s Ella Lee in the courtroom in New York.
State conditionally rests its case in chief
Trump’s legal team ended its cross-examination of Ivanka Trump just before court was set to adjourn for the day.
Her largely uneventful testimony marks the end of the New York attorney general’s case in chief.
The state has no further witnesses, but reserved its right to recall Allen Weisselberg to the witness stand after his testimony last month ended abruptly.
— Ella Lee
Outburst by Trump attorney over ‘laughing’ state lawyers
The Trump attorney conducting Ivanka Trump’s cross-examination abruptly stopped his questioning of the former president’s daughter to lambast state lawyers for purportedly “laughing” at the examination.
The questions related to a speaking arrangement Ivanka Trump had in Brooklyn with Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.) and another lawmaker while working on the Old Post Office property, regarding her experience working as a business entity with the federal government.
“They’re sitting back here laughing. They think this is funny. It’s not funny,” Trump attorney Jesus Suarez said, raising his voice.
Suarez also called the apparent laughter “insulting.” The Hill did observe apparent laughter from two state lawyers, though it was unclear what they were reacting to.
State lawyer Louis Solomon asked for the impromptu speech to be struck from the record, which Engoron obliged.
— Ella Lee
Trump attorney accuses judge of bias
Trump attorney Chris Kise again accused Judge Arthur Engoron of being biased against the former president and his legal team.
Kise said there is a “double standard” for how the judge rules on the parties’ objections, pointing to a line of questioning about an internal General Services Administration document related to the Old Post Office deal.
The judge sided with state lawyers to curtail the defense’s questioning, which shared similarities with an earlier state line of questioning.
“You could try to surmise that that’s because of bias, or that their objections have been of greater validity than yours,” Engoron replied.
— Ella Lee
Ivanka Trump: Father had ‘deep and nostalgic love’ for Doral property
Former President Trump had a “deep and nostalgic love” for the would-be Trump National Doral property, Ivanka Trump testified Wednesday.
The former president told her stories about visiting the property with his own father, taking his at the time wife – her mother – to the spa there and potentially taking his children there, too.
“He had a lot of sentimental affection for the property, (but he) had a strong feeling that it was not living up to its potential physically, as far as what the asset had become under its (then) current ownership,” she said.
Ivanka Trump said that she focused her energy on redesigning the resort, while her father focused on the golf course — an activity for which he has a “particular affinity,” she said with a laugh.
The details arose during her cross-examination by Trump attorney Jesus Suarez, which has been largely friendly.
— Ella Lee
Ivanka Trump earned $4M for Old Post Office deal
Ivanka Trump testified Wednesday that she earned more than $4 million for her role in the Trump Organization’s purchase of the Old Post Office Pavilion.
Her father, former President Trump, made some $126 million in the deal, according to documents shown by state lawyers.
The government ended its questioning of the former president’s daughter with those figures.
— Ella Lee
Court breaks for lunch
The trial has taken its regular lunch break. It is expected to resume at 2:15 p.m.
Trump attorney claims emails between Ivanka, Jared Kushner privileged
An attorney for former President Trump objected to emails between Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, that were presented as evidence by the New York attorney general’s office.
Chris Kise objected to an email thread with the subject line “Cap One feedback re OPO,” claiming spousal privilege. In the email displayed at the time, Ivanka Trump described a deal she made with Capital One regarding the Old Post Office Pavilion in Washington.
State lawyer Louis Solomon countered that the Trump Organization produced the emails, to which Kise replied that the Trump Organization waived no standing privilege.
Judge Arthur Engoron allowed the questioning to continue but said he would research the issue of spousal privilege over the lunch break.
— Ella Lee
Ivanka Trump maintains composure on witness stand
Ivanka Trump’s testimony so far has been calm and collected — a stark contrast from her father and brothers’ previous stints on the witness stand.
The former president’s daughter is answering state lawyer Louis Solomon’s questions quietly but directly; Judge Arthur Engoron has had to ask her to speak up numerous times. She has failed to recall some details pertaining decade-old business interactions, but reacted to some of those lapses by cracking big smiles and giggling.
Her father, former President Trump, ranted on the witness stand about his perceived political enemies, including those involved in the case.
— Ella Lee
Ex-president’s daughter distances from financial statements
Like her brothers and her father, Ivanka Trump distanced herself from the former president’s statements of financial condition — documents at the heart of the New York attorney general’s case.
“Did you have any role in preparing Donald J. Trump’s statements of financial condition?” state lawyer Louis Solomon asked.
“Not that I’m aware of,” Ivanka Trump replied.
“To your knowledge, did you ever provide valuations for any assets reflected on Donald J. Trump’s statements of financial condition?” Solomon asked.
“Not that I can recall,” Ivanka Trump said.
“Did you ever review any of Donald J. Trump’s statements of financial condition before they were finalized?” Solomon asked
“I don’t recall,” she said.
— Ella Lee
Ivanka Trump’s memory sparse on stand
Ivanka Trump has testified numerous times that she does not recall the business exchanges over which the New York attorney general’s office is questioning her.
The documents that state lawyers have shown her, mostly emails and business letters, were primarily created and sent between 2011 and 2012.
The former president’s daughter has also indicated numerous times that her memory of the exchanges only extend to a meeting she had with state lawyers last year, where they showed her them.
Notably, she has not remembered her exchanges with banks relating to Trump National Doral in Miami — a property which the New York attorney general’s office alleges involved misrepresentations.
“I just don’t recall this,” Ivanka Trump said about one of the documents.
— Ella Lee
Decade old emails underline why Ivanka Trump was dismissed from case
The emails state lawyers are showing Ivanka Trump throughout her testimony, which largely detail her transactions with bank representatives on various business deals, span back more than a decade. It underlines why she was dismissed as a party in the New York attorney general’s case.
In June, an appeals court ruled the allegations against Ivanka Trump fell outside the statute of limitations. However, the New York appellate division upheld Judge Arthur Engoron’s ruling that her dismissal does not preclude her from testifying in the case.
Trump’s legal team has repeatedly objected to the emails being introduced as evidence, and Engoron has overruled them each time.
— Ella Lee
State lawyers show emails about financial statements
State lawyers presented Ivanka Trump with emails detailing her knowledge of former President Trump’s statements of financial condition, documents at the heart of the New York attorney general’s case.
In one email to a Beal Bank representative, Ivanka Trump said her “father” would send his “most recent financial statement by hard mail.”
State lawyer Louis Solomon asked her whether the bank requested the document or she volunteered it.
“I don’t recall,” Ivanka Trump said.
— Ella Lee
Trump not present for daughter’s testimony
Former President Trump is not present in the courtroom where his daughter, Ivanka Trump, is taking the stand this morning.
The former president testified in the sweeping fraud case Monday, where he defended his business practices while decrying the New York attorney general and judge as politically motivated “Trump haters.”
Trump has attended the testimony of numerous witnesses throughout the trial’s seven weeks, but did not attend the testimony of his two adult sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump.
Before court began Wednesday, Trump called it “sad” that his “wonderful and beautiful daughter” was ordered to testify.
“They are trying to bring Ivanka into the case, despite the Court of Appeals ruling that she cannot be charged. Sad!” he wrote on Truth Social.
— Ella Lee
Ivanka Trump arrives in courtroom to testify
Ivanka Trump, the eldest daughter of former President Trump, has taken the stand in the Manhattan courtroom where she will soon testify as the last witness in the New York attorney general’s fraud case against her family’s business.
“The People call Ivanka Trump,” a state lawyer said.
“Who’s she?” Judge Arthur Engoron joked.
In a blue pantsuit and white top, Ivanka Trump strode into the courtroom with her head held high. She did not stop to take questions from reporters as she walked into the courtroom.
She took an oath to tell the truth and her testimony began.
— Ella Lee
NY AG arrives in courtroom
New York Attorney General Letitia James (D) has arrived in the Manhattan courtroom where her office expects to rest its case in chief later today or tomorrow.
James beelined for her usual seat in the front row of the right side of the gallery, briefly chatting with a sketch artist and several law enforcement officers. Her office appears to have reserved additional rows in the courtroom to watch the conclusion of their seven-week case.
Then, the reins will be handed to Trump’s legal team to put on his defense. Trump’s attorneys have named more than 120 witnesses they could call to testify on behalf of the former president and his business.
— Ella Lee
Ivanka Trump arrives at New York courthouse
Ivanka Trump has arrived at the New York Supreme Court where she is set to testify.
Ivanka Trump takes center stage after leaving political world behind
Ivanka Trump is expected to take the stand Wednesday as the New York attorney general’s final witness in its far-reaching fraud case against her father and family’s business.
Former President Trump’s eldest daughter, once described by his Deutsche Bank banker as the family business empire’s “heir apparent,” has all but disappeared from the limelight since her father left office.
When Trump lost the 2020 election, Ivanka Trump and her husband, Jared Kushner, relocated their family from Washington to Miami, opting to also leave the political world behind.
— Ella Lee