The former president’s image has always been more about illusion than reality, though no revelation seems to shake the Trump faithful

For years Donald Trump was the host of The Apprentice, a reality TV show in which contestants vied for a management job within his organisation and he would deliver the verdict: “You’re fired!”

It cemented the image of Trump as an assertive chief executive who had conquered New York, an image that still proves seductive to millions of voters who want him to run America like a business. But like much else about the 45th US president, it was all a lie.

On Tuesday a judge found that Trump’s business empire was built, at least in part, on rampant fraud. Justice Arthur Engoron of the New York state court in Manhattan said Trump and his adult sons wildly inflated the value of his properties to hoodwink banks, insurers and others.

…

The decision will make it easier for state attorney general Letitia James to establish damages at a civil trial due to start next week; she is seeking a penalty of about $250m. Engoron ordered the cancellation of certificates that let some of Trump’s businesses, including the Trump Organization, operate in New York – just possibly the beginning of the end of his empire.

  • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
    0·
    1 year ago

    You’re saying this won’t hurt him

    I absolutely am not. I’m saying that this won’t hurt him MUCH compared to all the shit he’s been pulling.

    You’re saying he will definitely raise $1.2 billion on top of all of his expenses now that the Trump business is effectively dissolved

    I’ve said nothing of the kind. You’re the one who decided to move the goalposts by bringing up the completely irrelevant 1.2b

    So that means there was absolutely no point in dissolving it. Why dissolve it if it does nothing?

    Again, not what I’m saying. Do you know how to read, understand and remember words? Because you’re sure as fuck not acting like it! 🤦

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
      0·
      1 year ago

      Ok, if you’re going to start hurling insults, this conversation is over. I’m not interested in a Reddit-style flame war.

      • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
        0·
        1 year ago

        And I’m not interested in repeatedly defending against a wholly fictional version of what I’ve said and moved goalposts, so stopping is fine by me. Have the day you deserve.

        • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
          0·
          1 year ago

          “Have the day you deserve?” Wow. Yeah, that was warranted over an internet argument. I don’t wish you “have the day you deserve.” Whatever people who insult over the internet when they wouldn’t do that if they were in the same room with that person deserve. I wish you have a good day. Because I don’t want people to have bad days.

          • Viking_Hippie@lemmy.world
            0·
            1 year ago

            Well you’ve made my day worse with your strawmen and your goalpost moving and your stubborn condescension, so why should I wish for yours to be good?