Donald Trump Jr. defended the Trump Organization as a historic and remarkable real-estate company Monday as the defense kicked off its rebuttal to a New York lawsuit that accuses the family business of rampant fraud.
Mr. Trump extolled his father, former President Donald Trump, as a real estate visionary in describing Trump Tower, famous golf clubs and other sites in his rebuttal to New York Attorney General Letitia James’ claim that the Trump Organization crafted fraudulent financial statements to gain favorable terms on loans and insurance.
The defense is making the case that big banks were not victims because they happily made money by lending to the family, which oversaw a sizable luxury portfolio.
Mr. Trump also promoted the Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida as worthy of fetching high prices, amid questions about whether the company sometimes assigned unusually high valuations to their holdings.
The former president and second son, Eric Trump, made similar arguments under state questioning and said they relied on accountants to craft the statements of financial condition.
Ms. James’ side rested its case days ago, clearing the way for the Trumps’ lawyers to present their side of the story at the start of the trial’s seventh week.
“I’d say it’s good to be here, your honor, but I have a feeling that the attorney general would sue me for perjury if I said that,” Donald Trump Jr. joked as he took the stand.
His testimony Monday set the tone for a defense case that’s expected to last into mid-December. After a six-week state case that focused heavily on the financial statements, spreadsheets and loan deals at the heart of the case, the scion aimed at humanizing the Trump Organization in the mind of the judge who’ll decide its fate.
Questioned by his own lawyer, Clifford Robert, he spent more than an hour narrating a slideshow titled “The Trump Story,” complete with a timeline of the company’s evolution and photographs of golf courses, hotels and other major projects.
He spoke glowingly about his father’s early years as a Manhattan developer, his work turning eyesores into thriving skyscrapers, and the “vision he had to do things differently.”
“He’s an artist with real estate. He sees the things other people don’t,” Mr. Trump testified, playing up his father’s accomplishments while skipping over his failed ventures and casino bankruptcies. “He has incredible vision that other people don’t.”
State lawyer Colleen Faherty tried to forestall the superlative-laced spiel, arguing that the amped testimony was “unfocused to anything relevant” to the case.
Judge Arthur Engoron disagreed, saying “let this stuff come in. I also find it interesting.”
The defense also plans to call several expert witnesses as part of their case in an attempt to refute testimony from state witnesses that Trump Organization financial statements afforded it better loan terms and insurance premiums than it deserved and were a factor in dealmaking.
Before the trial, Judge Engoron ruled that some fraud occurred, handing Ms. James an early victory on one of her claims. The trial is to decide other claims and possible penalties.
The elder Mr. Trump fumed over his legal troubles on social media over the weekend while pointing out that his struggles solidified his status as the front-runner in the 2024 GOP primary for president.
“A terrible precedent is being set, but so far, despite the vulgarity & viciousness of it all, it has driven my poll numbers to record numbers,” he wrote on Truth Social.
His defense team in New York asked for an immediate, or directed, verdict in its favor after the state rested, a fairly standard procedure. The Trump team said Ms. James failed to prove her claims, though the judge deferred ruling on the motion and let the trial continue.
One of Mr. Trump’s lawyers, Alina Habba, said over the weekend she planned to move for a mistrial “very soon.”
The only problem, she said, was that Judge Engoron would make the decision.
Ahead of this week’s testimony, Donald Trump Jr. attended an Ultimate Fighting Championship event at Madison Square Garden on Saturday. He was part of an entourage that also included his father, UFC President Dana White, musician Kid Rock and commentator Tucker Carlson.
“I can’t think of a better squad to roll with,” the younger Mr. Trump wrote on the X social media platform.
• Mallory Wilson contributed to this article, which is based in part on wire service reports.
• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.
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