“You Weren’t President in 2021”: 77-Year-Old Trump Forgets What Years He Was President

Amy LewisNov 11, 2023

Minute Read

Donald Trump has claimed at his $250 million fraud trial in New York that he was too busy in 2021 running the country as president to pay attention to his company’s financial statements — only his term ended in January that year.

Testifying in Case

Trump was on the stand on Monday to testify in the fraud case against his Trump Organization property empire that’s threatened by New York Attorney General Letitia James’ action against him, sons Donald Jr and Eric and several company executives.

Fraud Ruling

Judge Arthur Engoron has ruled that fraud was committed by the Trump Organization, by overvaluing its properties by about $2 billion so executives could get financing from banks. After revoking some of Trump’s business licenses, the judge is now focusing on what financial penalty should be imposed. Prosecutors have requested a fine of around $250 million.

Trump ‘So Busy in 2021’

Editorial credit: Evan El-Amin / Shutterstock.

On the stand, Trump was asked by Prosecutor Kevin Wallace if he knew about valuations of Trump Organization properties during 2021. The billionaire replied: “I was so busy in the White House. My threshold was China, Russia, and keeping our country safe.”

Not President in 2021

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The prosecutor asked Trump: “Just to clarify, you weren’t president in 2021, correct?”

Trump,caught out, replied, “No, I wasn’t.”

Trump Term

Trump won the 2016 presidential election and lost to Joe Biden four years later, in the 2020 vote. Biden was sworn in on January 20, 2021. Trump has never accepted defeat, instead falsely claiming he won the election because it was “rigged.”

His subsequent calls for supporters to protest the result led to deadly violence at the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, and he has been twice indicted, at federal and state level, for attempting to overturn the election results and block the peaceful transfer of presidential power.

Testy Testimony

Trump frequently clashed with Judge Engoron while giving testimony on Monday, particularly over long answers to prosecutors’ questions that largely evaded their probing. That drew the judge’s ire.

‘Control Trump’

After a series of evasive answers to prosecutors’ questioning, Judge Engoron said to Trump’s legal team: “This is not a political rally; this is a courtroom. I beseech you to control him. If you can’t, I will.”

Attack on Judge

A feisty Trump also hit out at Judge Engoron directly, saying in court: “I’m sure the judge will rule against me because he always rules against me.” The judge responded by saying he didn’t care if the defendant attacked him but that he must answer prosecutors’ questions.

Gag Order

Trump is under gag order in the civil case, for attacking people involved in it. But he has broken the order — twice. That led Judge Engoron to first impose a penalty of $5,000 on Trump, and later, when he again violated the order, an additional $10,000.

Other Legal Woes

Apart from the two election-interference cases, Trump is also battling two other indictments. He has been charged with wrongfully removing sensitive government documents from the White House, storing them at his Mar-a-Lago resort home and refusing to hand them over when requested. An additional indictment alleges he made hush money payments to an adult film actress to cover up an affair. In all, the four indictments carry 91 criminal charges and hefty prison terms for convictions.

Presidential Campaign

Trump’s legal worries come at a time when the 77-year-old is aiming to get back to the White House and is the frontrunner for the Republican Party’s nomination in primaries to be held in January. He is polling nationally about 50 points ahead of the GOP pack, which includes Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

Attack on AG James

Trump lawyer Alina Habba hit out at the New York Attorney General James on Monday by saying she was essentially clueless about how the real estate business worked in the United States.

AG ‘Not That Bright’

Habba said on Newsmax TV: “She’s just not that bright. I’m sorry, I have to say it.” She added: “I’ve seen their case. I’ve seen their lawyers. They don’t know what they’re talking about.”

Trump Family Testimony

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The trial in New York has also called Trump’s adult children to testify, including sons Donald Jr. and Eric. Lawyers filed a motion attempting to exempt daughter Ivanka from testifying, on the grounds she lives in Florida and was “too busy” looking after her children, but Judge Engoron rejected it.