Logo

Donald Trump’s lawyers on Thursday ripped the former president’s accountant for claiming “I don’t know” or “I don’t remember” dozens of times during his testimony at trial in the New York attorney general’s $250 million civil fraud case.

Donald Bender, a partner at accounting firm Mazars USA, had been under tense cross-examination by Trump’s attorneys since Tuesday afternoon when they called him out over his apparent memory loss during the final hours on the witness stand.

“In the past three days, you testified ‘I don’t know’ or ‘I don’t remember’ over 89 times,” Trump lawyer Jesus Suarez told Bender on Thursday morning in Manhattan Supreme Court.

Bender appeared flustered as Suarez and another Trump lawyer pelted him with questions and claimed he was evading their inquiry.

Clifford Robert, the other Trump attorney, later repeated a question similar to the one posed by Suarez, saying: “Over the last few days, you have said ‘I don’t recall’ or ‘I don’t remember’ over 90 times?”

“I believe that’s right,” Bender admitted.

Bender occasionally tried to defuse the obvious tension and deflect the lawyers’ questions by cracking jokes.


  Ex-Trump accountant Donald Bender was grilled by the former president’s lawyers for memory loss over 90 times during three days of cross-examination. John Nacion/NurPhoto/Shutterstock Ex-Trump accountant Donald Bender was grilled by the former president’s lawyers for memory loss over 90 times during three days of cross-examination. John Nacion/NurPhoto/Shutterstock

At one point, Robert asked Bender to speak into the microphone and the accountant replied: “I am as close as I can be without kissing it.”

On Wednesday, Justice Arthur Engoron, who is overseeing the trial, lost his cool with Trump’s team, saying the attorneys were needlessly drawing out Bender’s testimony.

Trump lawyer Alina Habba on Wednesday said, “We haven’t got one answer from him … he has no memory as we sit here.”

After a back-and-forth with Trump’s side over the apparent delay tactics, Engoron slammed his hand on the bench, said “This is ridiculous!” and told the attorneys to stop wasting time.

When Bender’s testimony finally wrapped up around noon Thursday, Jeffrey McConney, the former Trump Org comptroller and a defendant in New York Attorney General Letitia James’ case, got on the stand.


  Bender has been on the witness stand for three days in the $250 million civil fraud case against Trump. AFP/Getty Images Bender has been on the witness stand for three days in the $250 million civil fraud case against Trump. AFP/Getty Images

McConney — who retired from the real estate company in February with the promise of a $500,000 severance package — said he handled Trump Org valuations for the yearly “Statements of Financial Condition,” which were prepared by Mazars.

James alleges that Trump lied for a decade on these statements, exaggerating the worth of his assets by billions for his vanity — to climb the Forbes list of billionaires — and to save on loans and insurance.

Trump and his sons Eric and Donald Trump Jr., who are also defendants in the case, all claim they had nothing to do with preparing these statements.

But McConney said Trump, 77, had the final say on asset valuations that went into the statements.

McConney and former Trump Org chief financial officer Allen Weisselberg would review the accountants’ compilation report for Weisselberg to sign off on.

But McConney admitted that he hand-wrote “DJT to get final review” on one of these reports from 2014.


  Bender’s testimony finally concluded around noon Thursday. REUTERS Bender’s testimony finally concluded around noon Thursday. REUTERS

“Did you believe Trump would get final approval of each financial statement you were responsible for preparing?” asked Andrew Amer, a lawyer with the AG’s Office.

“Yes,” McConney said, noting this may have changed after Trump became president in 2016.

The ex-president and Eric Trump attended the first two days of trial and the first half of trial on Wednesday but were not present Thursday.

That didn’t stop the duo from taking to Trump’s social media platform Truth Social and blasting the AG’s case.

The real estate tycoon denies the allegations and claims he’s the victim of a political witch hunt.

The defendants are not required to attend trial as they would be in a criminal case.

Comments
anonymous profile image
Powered by RoundtableBuilt on infrastructure designed for real-time media. Learn more at RTB.io.© Roundtable 2026. By using this site you agree to the Terms of Use and Privacy Policy