Although Mr. Trump invoked his constitutional right against self-incrimination during his first questioning from the office last year, he answered questions from Attorney General Letitia James and her lawyers in the April deposition, a transcript of which was unsealed Wednesday.
The transcript shows a combative Mr. Trump, who was named as a defendant in the case alongside his company and three of his children, and at times barely allowed lawyers to speak. The assets are in question.
Mr. Trump wants the case dismissed. A judge could rule on that effort next month, but for now the case appears to be headed to trial in early October.
Below are some of the highlights from the transcript of his testimony:
Mr. Trump describes his time in the Oval Office with remarkable understatement.
The former president was asked about his relationship with his company by Kevin Wallace, a senior lawyer in Ms. James’s office. He said he was not the final decision-maker, although he later suggested he might be involved in “something important, final decisions, whatever.”
KEVIN WALLACE: Mr. Trump, are you currently the person with the highest decision-making authority for the Trump Organization?
DONALD J. TRUMP: NO.
MISTER. WALLACE: Who would that be?
MISTER. TRUMP CARD: My son Eric is much more involved than I am. I did other things.
Mr. Trump claims to have protected the world from nuclear war during his time in office.
In a conversation shortly afterward, Mr. Trump admitted that those other things included being president.
MISTER. TRUMP CARD: I was very busy. I was – I thought this was the most important job in the world, saving millions of lives. I think there would be a nuclear holocaust if I didn’t deal with North Korea. I think if I wasn’t elected there would be a nuclear war. And I think if you want to know the truth, you could have a nuclear war right now.
Mr. Trump refuses to say who has expressed interest in buying Mar-a-Lago.
During the testimony, Mr. Trump claimed he owned “the largest pieces of real estate in the world” and said the prices offered would be breathtaking if he ever put them up for sale. At some point, Mr. Wallace decided to test one of these claims.
MISTER. TRUMP CARD: I’ve heard people say, If you ever sell Mar-a-Lago, please call me. This is not for sale.
MISTER. WALLACE: For example, who told you that?
MISTER. TRUMP CARD: Well, I’d rather not say it because I don’t want to embarrass them, and I may put some of these people on the stand.
Later in the session, although he did not know who the specific people who had made such offers were, Mr. Trump said: “I know they are very rich people.”
Mr. Trump mocks his financial statements, saying he never felt they were taken seriously.
The attorney general’s case against Mr. Trump focuses on his financial statements, which they say overstate his wealth by as much as $2.2 billion each year.