On Wednesday, October 4, 2023, the third day of the bank fraud trial of former President Donald Trump continued in a New York City courtroom. Throughout the proceedings, Trump displayed evident frustration, commenting on the lack of a jury and terming the trial as a “witch hunt.”
Significant testimony came from Donald Bender, Trump’s longstanding accountant. Serving as a state witness, Bender provided insight into purported irregularities in the Trump Organization’s financial records. However, Trump’s defense lawyers countered Bender’s assertions during their cross-examination. They posited that Bender should have offered better guidance to Trump concerning accounting regulations.
The ongoing trial unveils in-depth specifics of Trump’s financial conduct. Consequently, the future direction of his vast real estate ventures hangs in the balance. New York Attorney General Letitia James is pushing for additional penalties to be imposed on Trump. Nevertheless, Trump staunchly continues his efforts to address what he sees as election interference.
Before this trial, Trump was spotted outside a different Manhattan courtroom. He appeared visibly agitated and voiced his grievances, correlating with the period the New York Attorney General initiated a civil fraud lawsuit against him. Numerous observers interpret such public expressions of discontent as an indication of the intensifying strain due to the serious charges leveled against him.