Donald Trump Jr., eldest son of former President Donald Trump, warned that New York Attorney General Letitia James wanted to seize Trump Tower, his “boyhood home,” as he requested $5 campaign donations in a fundraising email delivered on Wednesday.
New York State Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron ruled in favor of James’ civil fraud lawsuit in February, ordering the former president to pay $454 million for overinflating values of his properties and his own net worth by billions of dollars to secure loans and make deals. Trump, who was found liable by the state but has repeatedly denied the accusations, has also been barred from conducting business in New York for three years.
As Trump faced a deadline to pay these penalties, a New York appeals court stepped in on Monday and gave the former president an extended deadline to pay a smaller $175 million bond to satisfy the judgment in the case.
In response to the appellate court ruling, James said, in part, “Donald Trump is still facing accountability for his staggering fraud. The court has already found that he engaged in years of fraud to falsely inflate his net worth and unjustly enrich himself, his family, and his organization.”
After the appeals court ruling, Trump Jr. said in the email on Wednesday, “Friend, the radical anti-Trump Attorney General in New York wanted to seize my boyhood home. She wanted to get her hands on Trump Tower, and take control of one of the most iconic buildings in American history.
“They thought they would score a huge victory, but they lost—big time,” Trump Jr. continued.
Trump Jr. asked for $5 campaign donations in the email, saying, “My dad’s most critical end-of-month fundraising deadline is almost here. If he’s going to beat Crooked Joe’s army of liberal billionaires, it will be because of your support today.”
Newsweek has reached out to Trump’s campaign and the New York Attorney General’s Office via email for additional comment on Thursday.
Political analyst Craig Agranoff told Newsweek on Thursday, “Donald Trump Jr.’s strategy of mentioning Letitia James in the context of a campaign fundraising effort, especially with the emotionally charged claim of potentially seizing his ‘boyhood home,’ is likely designed to resonate deeply with MAGA voters and, to a broader extent, Republicans.”
Agranoff continued: “This narrative taps into a longstanding sentiment among many supporters that the Trump family is under siege by political opponents. Highlighting a personal & relatable aspect like a ‘boyhood home’ could amplify feelings of empathy & solidarity among his base.”
Trump is also facing numerous legal battles, including a criminal trial in New York set to begin on April 15, in which the ex-president is accused of falsifying business records in connection to hush money paid to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels. Trump has also repeatedly denied these accusations.
Agranoff told Newsweek that the Trump family’s legal challenges, including ongoing litigation and scrutiny, “have historically played a dual role. On one hand, they serve as rallying points for supporters who view these legal battles as politically motivated attacks, thus strengthening their allegiance. On the other hand, these issues offer a point of criticism for opponents and skeptics.”
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.