The Trump Boys Can’t Recall a Thing

The Trump Organization is on trial in New York this week, bringing to a head the fraud case that’s been on the docket since 2022, when state Attorney General Letitia James filed suit against the former president’s real estate company, alleging it had shown a pattern of vastly overinflating the value of its portfolio.

Judge Arthur Engoron declared last week that Donald Trump and his two biggest boys, Eric and Donald Jr., as well as the Trump Organization committed fraud. Per the ruling, they frothed up their businesses’ assets and Trump’s net worth for the purpose of getting better loan and insurance terms. Engoron found, among other things, that Trump continually overvalued Mar-a-Lago, once by more than 2,300%. One appraisal valued the club, located in Palm Beach, at between $18 and $28 million, while the Trump Organization called it as much as $612 million. Trump also claimed his triplex at Trump Tower was 30,000 square feet. In reality? 11,000 square feet. 

As the trial continues this week—Engoron has a few more matters to rule on, as well as potential penalties—the Family Trump is circling the wagons. Over on Truth Social, the ex-president has called Engoron a “Deranged, Trump Hating Judge.” Eric claimed on Twitter that the ruling is “an attempt to destroy my father” and that Mar-a-Lago is actually “arguably the most valuable residential property in the country.” And Junior wrote, “This is weaponized Blue State Marxist America, & another example of the sheer impossibility of a fairness & impartiality in these areas.”

The proceedings have also given the Trump boys their own on camera costarring turns. In an old deposition that Letitia James’s office released on Monday, both Eric and Donald could be seen not recalling certain aspects of the case or business practices. Similar answers to different questions. But like a couple of jazz guys putting their own stamp on a years-old standard, each had his own specific texture to the tune. 

Asked what he knew about the acronym GAAP, which stands for Generally Accepted Accounting Principles, Donald Trump Jr. offered the following:

Q: How did you become familiar with that acronym?

A: Probably in Accounting 101 at Wharton.

Q: Okay. What do they teach you about generally accepted accounting principles in Wharton?

A: Well, I’m not an accountant, but that they are generally accepted.

Q: [Laughing] Anything else?

A: That’s pretty much what I remember from Accounting 101.

Q: Have you told me everything you know about GAAP? [Laughing]

A: Basically. You know, I’m sure I could come up with some creative stuff to kill time, but I’d be doing neither of us a favor in terms of educating ourselves.

Q: Thank you. So, fair to say you’ve never been employed in a position that required you to apply GAAP to your work?

A: No, not that I’m aware of.

He smiled. He laughed. He somehow exuded smarm and ignorance simultaneously.

Eric, while similarly stubbled, cut a more halting and yet somehow more natural figure. Take a look. 

Whether or not the Trump Org will face all $250 million of potential penalties is currently being decided in New York courtrooms. In the meantime, we can watch all the veneers do the talking.