Trump pleads the fifth during property investigation

Donald Trump has declined to answer questions under oath as part of the investigation into alleged fraud at his property empire. The former president decided to ‘plead the fifth’ after being called to testify to the civil investigation led by New York state attorney Letitia James. James’ three-year inquiry into the Trump Organisation claims the company mis-stated the values of its assets, including skyscrapers, hotels and the Turnberry golf course in Scotland, over more than a decade to secure favourable loans and tax advantages. “I declined to answer the questions under the rights and privileges afforded to every citizen under the United States constitution,” Trump said in a statement released after the questioning began. From 9.30am to about 3pm, Trump repeated the words “same answer” to every question about “valuations and golf clubs and all that stuff”, one of his lawyers, Ronald Fischetti, said. Trump, whose Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida was raided by the FBI two days ago, has called the investigation “the greatest witch hunt in history”. The Times (£) The FT (£) The Guardian