TO "THE BEAT," I'M KATIE PHANG IN FOR ARI MELBER. TRUMP QUESTIONED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE FOR SEVEN HOURS. TRANSCRIPTS OF THE DEPOSITION WERE RELEASED LAST YEAR, BUT THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE'RE ABLE TO WATCH THE EXCHANGES PLAY OUT ON VIDEO. HEADLINE-MAKING MOMENTS LIKE THIS WHEN TRUMP IS ASKED ABOUT HIS ROLE WITHIN THE COMPANY SINCE BECOMING PRESIDENT. >> I'D RARELY HAVE ANYTHING TO DO -- WITH ANYTHING HAVING TO DO WITH THE COMPANY. I REALLY WASN'T INTERESTED, BELIEVE IT OR NOT. I WAS INTERESTED IN SOLVING THE PROBLEM WITH NORTH KOREA, WHICH WAS READY TO BLOW UP. I CONSIDERED THIS THE MOST IMPORTANT JOB IN THE WORLD, SAVING MILLIONS OF LIVES. I THINK YOU WOULD HAVE HAD NUCLEAR HOLOCAUST IF I DIDN'T DEAL WITH NORTH KOREA. I THINK YOU WOULD HAVE HAD A NUCLEAR WAR IF I WEREN'T ELECTED. >> ATTORNEY GENERAL LETITIA JAMES CLAIMING TRUMP AND HIS NAMESAKE ORGANIZATION INFLATED ASSETS BY BILLIONS OF DOLLARS, SEEKING OVER $350 MILLION IN DAMAGES. AVERDICT IS EXPECTED IN THE COMING WEEKS. THIS CASE COULD EFFECTIVELY END TRUMP'S EMPIRE ON HIS HOME TURF. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, TRUMP ARGUED ABOUT HIS, QUOTE, BRAND. >> IF I WANTED TO SHOW YOU A GOOD STATEMENT, I WOULD HAVE ADDED MAYBE $10 BILLION OF SOMETHING FOR THE BRAND. I DIDN'T PUT THE BRAND IN THERE. I THINK MY BRAND VALUE IS PROBABLY MY GREATEST ASSET, EVEN THOUGH IT GETS TARNISHED BY PEOPLE LIKE THIS SUING ME. I BECAME PRESIDENT BECAUSE OF THE BRAND. I BECAME PRESIDENT. I THINK IT'S THE HOTTEST BRAND IN THE WORLD. >> EVEN MAKING SURE TO BRAG ABOUT THE SUCCESS OF HIS PROPERTIES. >> HAVE YOU CONSIDERED ANY OTHER DEVELOPMENT ON DORAL, APART FROM THE GOLF COURSE AND RESORT? >> NOT REALLY BECAUSE I DON'T -- YOU KNOW, IT'S DOING GREAT. I DON'T NEED THE MONEY. YOU PROBABLY SEE THE CASH. WE HAVE A LOT OF CASH. MY BIGGEST PENCE IS PROBABLY LEGAL FEES. BUT, FORTUNATELY, WEALTHY PEOPLE COME UP TO ME AND SAY, IF YOU EVER WANT TO SELL MAR-A-LAGO, IF YOU EVER WANT TO SELL OTHER OF MY CLUBS, WHICH ARE AMAZING, IF YOU EVER WANT TO SELL, LET US KNOW. I DON'T EVEN KNOW WHO THE PEOPLE ARE. I KNOW VERY RICH PEOPLE. >> THROUGHOUT HIS TESTIMONY, TRUMP BALANCED BRAGGING ABOUT HIS ASSETS WITH DEFLECTING ANY RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE BUSINESS SIDE OF THINGS. AT ONE POINT REFERRING TO DISCLAIMERS THAT WERE PATCHED TO HIS FINANCIAL STATEMENTS. >> I NEVER FELT THAT THESE STATEMENTS WOULD BE TAKEN VERY SERIOUSLY BECAUSE YOU OPEN IT UP AND RIGHT AT THE BEGINNING OF THE STATEMENT, YOU READ A PAGE AND A HALF OF STUFF SAYING, GO GET YOUR OWN ACCOUNTING, GO GET YOUR OWN THIS, GO GET YOUR OWN THAT. >> SO WHY DID YOU GET THESE STATEMENTS PREPARED? >> I WOULD SAY MORE FOR MAYBE MYSELF. >> THE FIRST TIME TRUMP SAT FOR A DEPOSITION IN THIS CASE IN 2022, TRUMP INVOKED THE FIFTH AMENDMENT OVER 440 TIMES. REPEATING THE WORDS, QUOTE, SAME ANSWER, OVER AND OVER AGAIN. THIS TIME TRUMP CHOSE TO TALK, A DECISION THAT WILL HAUNT HIM IN COURT. JOINING ME NOW IS FORMER FEDERAL PROSECUTOR IN THE NORTHERN DISTRICT OF ILLINOIS AND DAVE, STATE ATTORNEY FOR PALM BEACH COUNTY, FLORIDA. GENTLEMEN, IT'S ALWAYS SO NICE TO SEE YOU. LET'S TALK ABOUT THE IMPACT WITH THE RELEASE OF THIS VIDEOTAPE CONSIDERING THE FACT THAT THE A.G.'S OFFICE ALREADY HAD THE SUBSTANTIVE TESTIMONY ITSELF. >> YEAH, LOOK, IT IS VERY POWERFUL TO SEE HIM ACTUALLY MOUTHING THE WORDS HIMSELF. THAT'S WHY THEY TAPE THOSE VIDEO DEPOSITIONS. I DO THE SAME THING WHEN I DEPOSE PEOPLE IN MY CASES. LOOK, THAT'S WHY I THINK TRUMP WAS TRYING TO DISTRACT US SO MUCH THIS WEEK. WE HAD THIS POWERFUL CLOSING ARGUMENT BEING OFFERED BY THE A.G.'S OFFICE. DONALD TRUMP WAS TRYING TO GET EVERYONE TO FOCUS ON HIS STATEMENTS OR ATTACKING THE JUDGE, ALL THE SIDE SHOW. BUT THE REALITY IS, THE TESTIMONY IS VERY POWERFUL. WHAT WE JUST SAW A MOMENT AGO, HE'S ESSENTIALLY SAYING, I PREPARED THESE STATEMENTS, FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, FOR MYSELF. NOT JUST TO ADMIT THEM, TO TRY TO OBTAIN LOANS, WHICH IS THE OBVIOUS PURPOSE OF THEM. VERY, VERY INCREDIBLE, NOT CREDIBLE TESTIMONY. AND I THINK THAT'S WHY THE JUDGE IS WRITING AN OPINION THAT'S GOING TO BE VERY DISASTROUS FOR HIS COMPANIES. >> DAVE, IT'S A JUDGE. IT'S JUSTICE GORAN MAKING THE DECISION, AGAINST DONALD TRUMP, HIS ADULT SONS AND SOME OF THE BUSINESSES. DOES THIS HAVE AN IMPACT, TALKING ABOUT THE FACT THAT HE USES VIDEOTAPE DEPOS IN HIS CASES, DOES THIS VIDEOTAPED PORTION OF ANY DEPOSITION OF DONALD TRUMP HAVE ANY IMPACT, DO YOU THINK, IN TERMS OF SWAYING THE JUSTICE ONE WAY OR ANOTHER? AS THE JUDGE, AS WE KNOW, THE JUDGE IS THE ARBITOR? >> THE JUDGE ALREADY FOUND THAT TRUMP WAS LIABLE FOR FRAUD BECAUSE HE ALREADY ISSUED SUMMARY JUDGMENT. THE REST OF THE TRIAL WAS BARL BASICALLY WINDOW DRESSING. NOW THE DAMAGES ARE UP TO $370 MILLION. YOU CAN SEE FROM THIS VIDEO, WE CAN ALL SEE WHY TRUMP IS IN TROUBLE, BECAUSE HE CAN'T HELP HIMSELF, BUT ENGAGE IN GROSS EXAGGERATIONS. I DON'T SEEM TO REMEMBER WE WERE ON THE BRINK OF A NUCLEAR HOLOCAUST WITH NORTH KOREA, BUT IN HIS MIND, THIS STUFF SELLS TO HIS POLITICAL BASE. YOU CAN GET AWAY WITH THIS TO YOUR POLITICAL BASE AND ON RIGHT-WING MEDIA. YOU DO THIS IN FINANCIAL STATEMENTS WHERE YOU ENGAGE IN LIES AND YOU'RE GOING TO GET HIT WITH A MASSIVE LAWSUIT AND A $370 MILLION JUDGMENT. >> IN CIVIL CASES, WHEN YOU TAKE THE FIFTH, THAT ACTUALLY CAN BE USED AGAINST YOU VERSUS IN CRIMINAL CASES BECAUSE THE JUDGE WILL INSTRUCT THE JURY OR THE JUDGE WILL UNDERSTAND THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED AN ADVERSE INFERENCE THAT CAN BE DRAWN BY SOMEBODY ELECTING NOT TO ANSWER QUESTIONS UNDER OATH. WHAT DOES IT TELL YOU THAT TRUMP DECIDED TO ACTUALLY ANSWER QUESTIONS THE SECOND TIME AROUND? I MEAN, IT LOOKS LIKE IT OBVIOUSLY HURT HIM. IT DIDN'T HELP HIM. >> WOW, GREAT QUESTION. THE VIEWERS CAN NOW SEE YOU'RE A LAWYER. GOOD QUESTION. THE FIRST TIME AROUND, I THINK HE ACTUALLY MADE A DECISION, I THINK HIS LEGAL TEAM MADE THE DECISION WHEN HE TOOK THE FIFTH 400 SOMETHING TIMES, WAS THAT THEY WERE GOING TO LAY DOWN, SUCH AS IN THIS LAWSUIT. YOU DON'T TAKE THE FIFTH 400 SOME TIMES IN A CIVIL LAWSUIT IF YOU WANT TO WIN. I THINK TRUMP SAW THE STAKES WERE TOO HIGH. NOT THE AMOUNT OF MONEY, BUT FOR HIM HAVING A MONITOR OVER HIS COMPANIES, HAVING A RECEIVER TAKING CONTROL OF CERTAIN ENTITIES, RESOLVING CERTAIN COMPANIES BY REVOKING THE CHARTERS, PREVENTED FROM DOING BUSINESS AND OWNING BUSINESS IN NEW YORK CITY, SEVERE PENALTIES. I THINK THAT'S WHY HE PERSONALLY MADE THE DECISION, THIS MATTERS TOO MUCH. BUT AS YOU POINT OUT, THE ISSUE HERE IS NOW HE'S CREATED A RECORD THAT NOT ONLY CAN WE WATCH ON "THE BEAT" BUT CAN BE USED IN SUBSEQUENT LAWSUITS AGAINST HIM AS WELL. YOU CAN IMAGINE IF THERE ARE FINDINGS HERE, THERE CAN BE FOLLOW-ON LAWSUITS FROM BANKS AND OTHERS WHO POTENTIALLY LOST MONEY OR MADE LOANS THEY WOULDN'T HAVE OTHERWISE MADE DUE TO THE FALSE STATEMENTS THAT WERE MADE HERE. >> DAVE, IT'S NOT JUST DONALD TRUMP, RIGHT? A BIG PART OF HIS CASE IS ALSO DIRECTED TOWARDS THOSE TRUMP KIDS, ALTHOUGH THEY'RE ADULT CHILDREN, THEY WERE VERY INVOLVED IN THE TRUMP ORGANIZATION. TAKE A QUICK LISTEN TO WHAT DONALD TRUMP SAID UNDER OATH WHEN HE WAS ASKED ABOUT THAT. >> I WOULD SAY THAT ERIC AND DON AND IVANKA, I WAS NOT INTERESTED IN DOING DEALS. I THOUGHT IT WAS SOMETHING THAT WHILE I HEARD IT WAS LEGAL FOR THEM AS A FAMILY TO DO, I THOUGHT IT WOULDN'T LOOK GOOD. I WAS VERY -- I WANTED TO DO A GREAT JOB AS PRESIDENT. AND I FELT THAT WOULD LOOK LIKE SOMEWHAT OF A CONFLICT OF INTEREST. >> I HAVE TO LAUGH, BUT, DAVE, THE QUESTION TO YOU IS THIS, AGAIN, THE CREDIBILITY DETERMINATION BEING DONE BY THE JUSTICE, DO YOU BUY IN ANY WAY THAT TRUMP EVEN ONCE FOR A NANOSECOND WAS CONCERNED ABOUT ANY POTENTIAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST? >> NO. HE'S PULLING A SNOW JOB HERE. NO. THIS IS -- THIS IS JUST HIM TRYING TO TALK HIS WAY OUT OF IT. I GOT THE SENSE HE WAS THROWING HIS KIDS UNDER THE BUS, BY THE WAY. THEY ALL TOOK THE FIFTH. NOW, IVANKA WAS DROPPED FROM THE LAWSUIT. THERE WASN'T ENOUGH EVIDENCE AND THERE WAS SOME STATUTE OF LIMITATION ISSUES. I'M WAITING FOR THEM TO PUT ALL THE ASSETS IN IVANKA'S NAME FOR A WAY TO KEEP THEIR COMPANY, AFTER THEY GET HIT WITH A CERTAIN HUGE JUDGMENT AND POSSIBLY A RECEIVERSHIP FOR THEIR ASSETS. NO, I DON'T BELIEVE WHAT HE SAID, HE TRIED TO DO THE RIGHT THING AND SEPARATED HIMSELF FROM THE COMPANY, AVOIDING CONFLICTS OF INTEREST. IF YOU BELIEVE THAT, THEN YOU DON'T KNOW DONALD TRUMP. >> I DO WANT TO ASK YOU A RELATED TRUMP TRIAL, THE E. JEAN CARROLL TRIAL, IN INTEREST OF FULL DISCLOSURE, I AM FRIENDS WITH E. JEAN CARROLL, BUT THE LEGAL ANALYSIS IS GOING TO COME FROM YOU HERE. THE QUESTION IS, EVERYBODY WANTS TO KNOW IF HE'S GOING TO SHOW UP ON MONDAY AND TESTIFY IN HIS OWN DEFENSE, MONDAY, MAYBE TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK? WE SEE HOW DAMAGING IT CAN BE WHEN DONALD TRUMP HAS TO TAKE AN OATH TO TELL THE TRUTH, EITHER IN PERSON OR OTHERWISE, THE LAWYER FOR E. JEAN CARROLL HAS ALREADY WRECKED HIM ON HIS PRIOR DEPOSITION WHEN HE CONFUSED E. JEAN CARROLL FOR AN EX-WIFE. DO YOU THINK SEEING THIS VIDEOTAPE DEPOSITION WOULD PLAY INTO CALCULUS FOR HIS LAWYERS KEEPING HIM FROM THE STAND NEXT WEEK IN THE E. JEAN CARROLL TRIAL? >> WOW, GOOD QUESTION. I THINK A LAWYER DOESN'T WANT DONALD TRUMP ON THE STAND IF YOU REPRESENT HIM. THAT SAID, I THINK DONALD TRUMP'S MADE A CALCULUS IN THE CARROLL CASE IN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY HE CAN LOSE THERE IS SMALL ENOUGH THAT HE'S WILLING TO USE THAT TO CREATE A CIRCUS, A DISTRACTION, TRY TO PUMP UP HIS RATINGS, TRY TO PUMP UP SOME INTEREST IN THE REPUBLICAN PRIMARY, DROWN OUT HIS OPPONENTS. HE'S WILLING TO ACCEPT THAT AS AN ACCEPTABLE LOSS. I THINK THE REASON HE PURSUED A DIFFERENT PATH AND GOT VERY COMBAT
