The testimony of the former US President was expected in New York. However, Trump has invoked the Fifth Amendment of the Constitution and has remained silent.
Former US President Donald Trump was scheduled to testify under oath in a civil dispute over his company's business practices in New York on Wednesday. However, he decided not to answer the Attorney General's questions. "I have declined to answer the questions based on the rights and privileges accorded to every citizen under the Constitution of the United States," the statement said.
According to media reports, Trump met with employees of the New York Attorney General Letitia James behind closed doors. It is unclear what questions were asked.
Democrat James has for years led civil investigations into the Republican's corporate empire for potentially fraudulent business practices. According to James, Trump and the Trump Organization used misleading financial reporting to gain economic advantage. In January, James said he had collected evidence of fraudulent financial practices. The former president has repeatedly described the investigation as politically motivated.
It is also about the suspicion that the former president's company is said to have given false information about the value of real estate. Trump's company denies the allegations.
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Trump himself wrote on Tuesday evening on the platform he co-founded "Truth Social" that he would meet James "tomorrow for a continuation of the largest witch hunt in US history". He did not give any further details. According to the Fox News report, Donald Trump is the last member of the family to be questioned. His children Ivanka and Don Jr. have already testified.
After the death of Ivana Trump , the first wife of the former US President, the statements under oath by Donald Trump and their two children planned for July were initially postponed. Donald Junior and Ivanka are said to have testified in the meantime.
FBI searches Trump property
Trump's appointment with the New York Attorney General's Office came just two days after the FBI searched the ex-president's private home in Mar-a-Lago . On "Truth Social" Trump called the police operation an "attack" that "can only take place in broken third world countries".
The Manhattan Attorney's Office also followed Trump's appointment on Wednesday with interest, reports the New York Times . The authority is in the starting blocks to pursue its meanwhile dormant criminal investigation against the ex-president with more energy. (Tsp with AFP/dpa)
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