Read the Judge’s Ruling in the Trump Civil Fraud Case

NYSCEF DOC. NO. 1688

INDEX NO. 452564/2022 RECEIVED NYSCEF: 02/16/2024

Donald Trump, Jr.

Donald Trump, Jr. started his employment at the Trump Organization in 2001. TT 3160, 3976. Early in his tenure, he worked as a project manager at Trump Park Avenue, where he did a “[l]ittle bit of everything; design, construction, overseeing some of the banking relationships we had, anything and everything.” TT 3161-3162. Trump, Jr. affirmed that, at the time, he knew about the impact of rent stabilization laws on development at Trump Park Avenue, and he was aware of the limitations imposed by that law. TT 3162. Trump, Jr. also served as project manager for Trump Chicago, working on “everything from design, architecture, sales and marketing, finance, construction… [y]ou name it.” TT 3162-3163.

Since at least 2011, Trump, Jr. has served as an executive vice-president of the Trump Organization, reporting to his father, until Donald Trump assumed the presidency in January 2017. TT 3164, 3167. After that, Trump, Jr. and Eric Trump served as co-chief executive officers of the Trump Organization and, collectively, with Allen Weisselberg, had “ultimate authority over decisions made at the Trump Organization.” TT 3164-3170. TT 3286-3288. In addition to their role as co-CEOs of the Trump Organization, beginning in January 2017, Trump, Jr. and Eric Trump were also presidents, directors, executive vice presidents, and/or chairmen of various Trump Organization entities. PX 1329 at 13-25.

Also in January 2017, Trump, Jr. and Weisselberg became trustees of the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, which Trump, Jr. understood to be “the trust that governed all of my father’s assets[] especially while he was president.” TT 3170, 3179, PX 769. When examined about his knowledge of Allen Weisselberg’s departure from the Trump Organization, Trump, Jr. testified that Weisselberg was terminated from his role as trustee because of his criminal indictment, but that he was not terminated from his employment at the helm of the Trump Organization for that reason. TT 3170-3172. Trump, Jr. then testified that he does not know the details of how or why Weisselberg ended his employment relationship with the Trump Organization, which this Court finds entirely unbelievable. TT 3172-3173.

On January 20, 2021, Donald Trump re-appointed himself as a trustee of the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust and removed Trump, Jr., while leaving Weisselberg as a “business trustee.” PX 1016; TT 3185-3186. After Weisselberg was terminated from his role as trustee in June of 2021, Trump, Jr. was re-appointed trustee on July 7, 2021. Apparently, ¹6 Trump, Jr. remains the sole trustee of the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust. TT 3181-3185, 3190-3191; PX 1015, 1016.

In early 2016, at the request of “one of the three children” (referring to Donald Trump’s three adult children), Patrick Birney created and distributed to Eric Trump, Ivanka Trump, and Trump, Jr. a Organization Operating Financial Summary 2015″ to keep them informed of the performance of the business, in anticipation of taking over. PX 1293; TT 1181-1186. Trump, Jr. and Eric Trump were continuously kept apprised of the operating financials by Weisselberg. TT 3270-3273; PX 1454.

In January 2017, Trump, Jr., along with Eric Trump, took over responsibility for running the Trump Organization. TT 3982-3983.

16 When asked if he was aware if his father, Donald Trump, is serving as a current trustee of the Donald J. Trump Revocable Trust, Trump, Jr. testified “I don’t recall.” TT 3191.

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