- As part of his New York fraud trial, Donald Trump underwent a 7-hour deposition in April.
- The video was just released on Friday through a Freedom of Information Law request.
Videos of Donald Trump's April deposition released Friday show the former president rarely cracked a smile when facing off against New York Attorney General Letitia James.
The deposition is part of an ongoing trial that will determine if Trump and his company intentionally misrepresented his net worth when applying for loans. The trial is in its final stretch, with a verdict expected from Judge Arthur Engoron before the end of the month.
The April 13 videos, released to media through a Freedom of Information Law request, don't reveal much new information about what was said during the seven-hour, closed-door deposition — that information was disclosed when the deposition transcript was made public in August. Rather, the clips reveal Trump's demeanor when he spoke: defiant, abrasive, and angry.
In the videos, the former president becomes increasingly annoyed with lawyers for James as they try to get through questions. He eventually turns to insults, calling the lawsuit "crazy."
Later, Trump, his arms crossed while leaning back in his chair, tells lawyers, "You don't have a case."
"It's a shame that somebody that's done such a good job… and now I have to come and justify myself to you?" Trump says while shrugging, arms still folded.
Trump also took moments to rail against what he believed was an unfair lawsuit. He also briefly smirks at James when the attorney general insists she is "committed to a fair and impartial legal process."
At another point in the video, Trump derailed the deposition as the attorney general's legal team tried to assess the true value of his 40 Wall Street office building by insisting lawyers get a peek at the building across the street.
"Open the curtain," Trump ordered as he pointed off-screen.
"No," Kevin Wallace, a lawyer for James' office, tells Trump firmly.
"Open the curtain, go ahead," Trump insists to a person off-screen. The subject was eventually dropped.
Closing arguments were heard in the case last week. In a surprising turn, Judge Engoron reversed his earlier decision to deny Trump an opportunity to deliver a statement on his own behalf. In a five-minute statement, the former president repeatedly called himself the victim of a politically motivated "witch hunt" and lauded the Trump Organization as "a great company."
The Attorney General earlier this month increased the amount of financial penalties sought against Trump in the case from an initial amount of $250 million to a total of $370 million plus interest for what the AG argues is a decadelong pattern of lying to banks and inflating his net worth.
The total penalties that Trump may face remain unknown until a verdict is handed down. However, Business Insider previously reported the former president may be trying to appeal the case up to the Supreme Court after his lawyers suggested in closing arguments that Executive Law 63(12), the statute that allowed James to bring the case, violates the US Constitution.
Representatives for Trump did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.