Donald Trump Jr. asks courtroom sketch artist to ‘Make me look sexy’ as he leaves witness stand in $250 million civil fraud trial in New York

Donald Trump Jr. chatted jovially with a courtroom cartoonist and asked him to ‘make me sexy’ as he left the witness stand after being grilled for hours in a $250 million fraud case dollars in New York.

When the judge ordered a break, the former president’s eldest son spoke with the artist, who later told reporters, “He said, ‘Make me sexy.'”

The same artist had previously drawn the elder Donald Trump when he was arraigned in a separate case involving hush-money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels, and that image was printed on the magazine’s cover The New Yorker.

Donald Trump Jr. testifies at $250 million civil fraud trial in New York

A courtroom sketch of Eric Trump testifying

Don Jr. testified Wednesday and Thursday morning, then his brother Eric took the stand.

Trump brothers both testify in civil fraud trial.

Judge Arthur Engoron has already ruled that Donald Trump, Don Jr. and Eric, along with the Trump Organization, fraudulently inflated the value of their properties to obtain favorable loan terms.

Eric Trump has denied ever having anything to do with the financial statements relating to his father’s real estate empire.

He raised his voice in irritation as he was repeatedly questioned about documents related to the family business.

Eric told the court: “We’re a major organization, a massive real estate organization, of course I understand we have financial statements, absolutely.”

But he added: “I had no involvement and never worked on my father’s financial disclosure statement.”

A courtroom sketch of Donald Trump during his impeachment in a case involving secret payments to porn star Stormy Daniels

Former US President Donald Trump’s son and co-defendant, Eric Trump, testifies at the Trump Organization fraud civil trial in New York

Eric Trump gives thumbs up as he arrives in court with his brother Don Jr

As his sons testified, Donald Trump, who was not in court, blasted the judge on social media.

The former president wrote: “So sad to see my sons being PERSECUTED in a political witch hunt by this out-of-control, publicity-seeking New York State judge on a case that would NEVER have should have been brought.”

Earlier, Eric, 39, arrived in court with Don Jr., 45, both showing thumbs up.

Judge Engoron allowed media in the courtroom to take photos.

The judge joked, “Is everyone in makeup?” and added: “Do you think they have enough photos?”

In court, prosecutor Andrew Amer questioned Eric Trump about a decade-old email 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’ve ever seen or worked on a statement of financial position. I don’t think I would have known, or what I did.”

Donald Trump Jr. during a break in the debates

Donald Trump Jr. speaks to the media in court

Don Jr. took the stand Wednesday and Thursday morning, before Eric was called.

In his testimony, Don Jr. admitted that he signed financial documents that the judge found to be fraudulent.

However, he suggested the fault lay with other people who worked on the documents.

Don Jr. said he relied on accountants within the Trump Organization and outside firm Mazars to ensure financial estimates related to Trump’s properties and other assets were accurate.

“They had more information and details about all of this than I did,” he said. “That’s why we have accountants.”

Financial documents are at the heart of the lawsuit, which threatens to undermine the Trump family’s real estate empire.

Don Jr.’s testimony ended shortly before lunch and his brother Eric followed him to the stand.

As he left the stand, Don Jr. told Jane Rosenberg, the courtroom artist, “Make me sexy.”

Donald Trump Jr. and attorney Alina Habba (left) 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 official is now a certified public accountant, unlike former CFO Allen Weisselberg, he said.

Weisselberg pleaded guilty to tax crimes in a separate case in 2022.

Trump, favorite for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, 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 from running businesses in New York state.

The civil trial is expected to last until 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 already visited the court several times to observe the proceedings.

Last week, he sat at the defendant’s table, looking furious, while Michael Cohen, his former personal lawyer and fixer, testified.

Cohen told the court that Trump directed him to manipulate the value 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 lawsuit is one of a series of cases Trump faces as he campaigns to retake the White House.

He faces a total of 91 criminal charges in four separate criminal proceedings, including two cases stemming from attempts to overturn his 2020 election defeat.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing in all of his criminal and civil cases.

In the New York case, he accused Judge Engoron of political bias.

As the trial resumed on Thursday, he wrote on social media: “This is a serious miscarriage of justice.”

Judge Engoron previously fined Trump $15,000 for repeatedly violating a silence order that prohibits him from publicly criticizing court staff.