Ivanka Trump flashes smile as she strides into court for dad's $250m trial
Ivanka Trump has arrived at court to testify in her father Donald Trump's civil fraud trial in New York.
She could be seen smiling as she strode purposely in a blue suit ahead of hotly anticipated testimony, following her two brothers Eric and Donald Jr and Trump himself. Unlike her brothers, she is not a defendant in the civil case and was the first member of the family to not sit at the defence table before taking the stand.
Decked out in expensive designer garb, a blue Carolina Herrera coat, Jimmy Choo heels, and a Chanel bag, Trump's oldest daughter is expected to take questions about the acquisition of loans when she was the Trump Organization's executive vice president, loans with Deutsche Bank for a luxury hotel and her luxury apartment's valuation.
Ivanka was unsuccessful in an attempt to claim she is too busy to testify this week (Elder Ordonez / SplashNews.com)Trump is currently locked in a non-jury trial brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James; James wants the defendants to fork over what she claims is more than $300 million in ill-gotten gains and to be banned from doing business in New York. James said "the facts will reveal" that Ivanka was involved in the Trump Organization's financial dealings, despite an expected attempt to "distance herself."
Ivanka was unsuccessful in an attempt to claim she is too busy to testify this week. Ivanka's lawyers said that Ivanka "who resides in Florida with her three minor children, will suffer undue hardship if a stay is denied and she is required to testify at trial in New York in the middle of a school week, in a case she has already been dismissed from, before her appeal is heard."
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Her lawyer, Bennet Moskowitz, told the judge Friday that state lawyers “just don’t have jurisdiction over her.” One of Donald Trump's attorneys, Christopher Kise, maintained that state lawyers “just want another free-for-all on another of President Trump’s children.”
“The idea that somehow Ms. Trump is under the control of the Trump Organization or any of the defendants, her father - anyone who has raised a daughter past the age of 13 knows that they’re not under their control,” Kise said.
Ivanka will follow already-given testimony from Eric and Donald Jr. (AFP via Getty Images)The non-jury trial will decide allegations of conspiracy, insurance fraud and falsifying business records — but Judge Arthur Engoron already has resolved the lawsuit's top claim by ruling that Trump engaged in fraud. That decision came with provisions that could strip the ex-president of oversight of such marquee properties as Trump Tower, though an appeals court is allowing him continued control of his holdings, at least for now.
“I don’t, specifically, know what was prepared on his behalf for him as a person, separate and distinct from the organization and the properties that I was working on,” Ivanka said during sworn questioning for the investigation that eventually led to the lawsuit. She said she didn't know who prepared the statements or how the documents were compiled.
The former president is said to be irked that his children have been made to testify to the Manhattan court - Ivanka will follow already-given testimony from Eric and Donald Jr. An insider source has told a US publication Trump is "upset and agitated" that his "children have been dragged into court." The source said: "He feels it’s another move to upset him... He’s pissed."h
Part of the problem, the insider said, was Ivanka's attempts to stay out of the limelight since she left her role as an adviser to her father in the White House. Since, Ivanka has kept a low profile with an apparent desire to focus on her family life.
"This is causing problems with Ivanka who has worked hard to stay under the radar for the last two-ish years, and is bracing herself for the press and paparazzi who will pounce on her at court," the source told PageSix, adding that Trump "sympathises" with his daughter's feelings "because of how it affects her life in Miami".
They said the 45th president is aware that "Ivanka wants zero attention" and he is upset she is being "thrust back into the spotlight." He reportedly feels his sons Eric and Donald Jr are more able to deal with the heat caused by the issues and fight back, despite Ivanka being the only adult child of Trump's who is a non-defendant in the case. He fears his eldest daughter is "more vulnerable" since stepping away from politics.
Trump is said to be upset his children have been made to testify (AFP via Getty Images)Ivanka and Donald
Despite reports of Trump's concern for his daughter, there remain questions about Ivanka's decision not to publicly support her father's 2024 presidential bid. She has been more outspoken than her siblings on key issues and has also said she does not believe the 2020 election was stolen despite Trump's repeated false claims.
"I respect Attorney General Barr. So I accepted what he was saying," she told the January 6 Committee responsible for investigating the 2021 riots at the Capitol.
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Ivanka and her father had a close working relationship and as Executive Vice President at the Trump Organisation and even acted as a boardroom judge on her father's The Apprentice TV show. In March 2017, she was officially made an advisor to the president and became Director of the Office of Economic Initiatives and Entrepreneurship for the duration of the administration the following month.
A younger Donald Trump and Ivanka (right) enjoy her birthday party (WireImage)But Ivanka was not present at the announcement of her father's 2024 presidential bid and issued a statement explaining she wanted to "prioritise my young children." "I love my father very much," she said.
"This time around I am choosing to prioritise my young children and the private life we are creating as a family. I do not plan to be involved in politics."
Ivanka, the daughter of Donald and his late ex-wife Ivana, added: "While I will always love and support my father, going forward I will do so outside the political arena. I am grateful to have had the honour of serving the American people and I will always be proud of many of our Administration’s accomplishments."
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