Donald Trump Jr. chatted jovially with a cartoonist in court and asked her to “make me look sexy” as he left the witness stand after hours under fire in a $250 million fraud case in New York.
When the judge called a recess, the former president’s eldest son spoke to artist Jane Rosenberg, who later told reporters, “He said, ‘Make me look sexy.’
Rosenberg previously drew the elder Donald Trump when he was indicted in a separate case involving hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels, and that image was printed on the cover of The New Yorker magazine.
Courtroom sketch artist Jane Rosenberg’s image of Donald Trump Jr. after he jokingly asked her to ‘make me look sexy’
Donald Trump Jr. provides evidence
Courtroom sketch artist Jane Rosenberg captures Eric Trump
Don Jr. testified Wednesday and Thursday morning, after which his brother Eric took the stand.
The Trump brothers are both testifying in a civil fraud trial.
Judge Arthur Engoron has already ruled that Donald Trump, Don Jr. and Eric, and the Trump Organization fraudulently inflated the value of their properties to secure favorable loan terms.
Eric Trump denied ever having anything to do with financial statements related to his father’s real estate empire.
He raised his voice in annoyance when repeatedly questioned about documents related to the family business.
Eric told the court: ‘We are a big organization, a huge real estate organization. Of course I understand that we have financial statements, absolutely.”
But he added: ‘I was not involved in, nor did I ever cooperate with, my father’s statement about the financial situation.’
Former US President Donald Trump’s son and co-defendant, Eric Trump, testifies at the Trump Organization civil fraud trial in New York
A court sketch of Eric Trump testifying
Eric Trump gives a thumbs up as he arrives at court with brother Don Jr
As his sons testified, Donald Trump, who was not in the courtroom, blasted the judge on social media.
The former president wrote, “It is so sad to see my sons PERSECUTED in a political witch hunt by this out-of-control, publicity-seeking New York State judge, in a case that should NEVER have been brought.”
Earlier, Eric, 39, had arrived at the court with Don Jr., 45, both flashing thumbs up.
Judge Engoron allowed the media in the courtroom to take photos.
The judge joked: ‘Is everyone wearing make-up?’ and added, “Do you think they have enough pictures?”
In court, prosecutor Andrew Amer asked Eric Trump about an email from a decade ago in which Eric said details about the family’s personal finances should be distributed to a limited number of people.
Eric Trump responded, “You wouldn’t want 1,200 people seeing your personal finances.”
He added: “I was 26 at the time. I don’t think I ever saw or worked on a financial condition statement. I don’t think I would have known about it, not what I did.”
Donald Trump Jr. during a pause in the procedure
Donald Trump Jr. addresses the media outside the court
Don Jr. took the stand on Wednesday and Thursday mornings before Eric got the call.
In his testimony, Don Jr. acknowledged that he had signed financial documents that the judge found to be fraudulent.
However, he suggested that the blame lay with others who worked on the documents.
Don Jr. said he relied on accountants within the Trump Organization and outside the Mazars firm to ensure financial estimates related to Trump properties and other assets were accurate.
“They had more information and details about all of this than I would have,” he said. “That’s why we have accountants.”
The financial documents are at the heart of the lawsuit, which threatens to undermine the Trump family’s property empire.
Don Jr.’s testimony ended shortly before lunch and his brother Eric followed him in the stands.
As he left the stands, Don Jr. to Jane Rosenberg, the courtroom cartoonist: “Make me look sexy.”
Don Jr. said to the cartoonist in the courtroom, “Make me look sexy.”
Donald Trump Jr. and lawyer Alina Habba (L) in court
The two brothers took control of the Trump Organization in 2017 when their father became president of the United States.
Don Jr. told the court that the company has improved its accounting since New York Attorney General Letitia James began investigating its finances.
The company’s top financial officer is now a certified public accountant, unlike former chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg, he said.
Weisselberg pleaded guilty to tax crimes in a separate case in 2022.
Trump, the front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nominee, is expected to testify in the case on Monday.
James is seeking at least $250 million in damages and a permanent ban on Trump, Don Jr. and Eric who operate businesses in upstate New York.
The civil trial is expected to last through December.
In a late-night social media post earlier this week, Trump took aim at the judge.
He wrote: ‘Leave my children alone, Engoron. You are a disgrace to the legal profession!’
The former president has been in the courtroom several times to observe the proceedings.
Last week, he sat angrily at the defendant’s table as Michael Cohen, his former personal attorney and fixer, testified.
Cohen told the court that Trump directed him to manipulate the values of his company’s assets.
Donald Trump told Judge Arthur Engoron (R) to ‘leave my children alone’
New York Attorney General Letitia James (right) in court
The trial is part of a series of cases Trump will face as he campaigns to retake the White House.
He faces a total of 91 felony charges in four separate criminal prosecutions, including two cases stemming from efforts to overturn his 2020 election defeat.
Trump has denied wrongdoing in all his criminal and civil cases.
In the New York case, he accused Judge Engoron of political bias.
When the trial resumed on Thursday, he wrote on social media: “This is a major miscarriage of justice.”
Judge Engoron has already fined Trump $15,000 for repeatedly violating a gag order banning him from publicly criticizing court staff.