Trump says he’ll return to fraud trial Tuesday after ‘good day’

Former President Trump said he would return to court Tuesday for the second day of a civil trial in New York centered on claims that he grossly overstated his wealth and engaged in a pattern of fraud.

Trump, in a social media post early Tuesday morning, described the opening day of the trial as a success and said he will show up again Tuesday. 

“Good day at trial today as the judge will be honoring the Appellate Court’s unanimous decision on the Statute of Limitations!” Trump wrote. “This reduces the case by approximately 80%. See you in  Court on Tuesday morning!”

The former president, who is the leading Republican in the 2024 presidential race, has used his court appearance as a pseudo-campaign event, drawing attention from the press more than a typical campaign stop would.

Trump did not speak during the hearing Monday but spoke to reporters outside the courtroom multiple times, repeating his attacks on the judge and New York Attorney General Letitia James — who brought the lawsuit against Trump, two of his sons and the Trump Organization after a lengthy investigation.

The former president has been accused of inflating his wealth by as much as $3.6 billion at times and deflating it at other times, in order to deceive banks and insurers into providing financial assistance.

The judge, Arthur Engoron, ruled last week that Trump was liable for fraud. While the decision stripped some of Trump’s business licenses, James is seeking $250 million in penalties and an effective ban on Trump and his organizations ever doing business in New York again.

“People are starting to see what a great company I built through the trial started by the Racist Attorney General of New York State, Letitia ‘Peekaboo’ James,” Trump wrote Tuesday. “It was all supposed to be private, but in  many ways it is exposing great success.”

“Incredible assets, lots of cash, and it only gets better. It is also stating, loud and clear, ‘don’t move your company to New York, and if you are already here, move out fast.” he continued. “Too much work and ‘heartache’ dealing with the Radical Left Democrats, Marxists, and Fascists!”

Trump is also facing four federal criminal trials, involving 91 separate charges.