John Bergquist

BREAKING JUST IN: On Monday, the credibility, coherence, and control of Trump will be put to the test as he takes the witness stand in a trial that poses a threat to his business empire, which is closely tied to his public image. In this unfamiliar setting, he will be required to give sworn testimony. On a scorching August day in New Hampshire, Donald J. Trump, a cunning and bold political figure, confidently addressed the rally crowd, using derogatory terms like "racist" and "deranged" to mock his legal adversaries. However, this coming Monday, the ex-president will confront one of these adversaries, albeit in a setting that he is less at ease with. Letitia James, the attorney general of New York, plans to summon Mr. Trump as a witness for his own civil fraud trial in Manhattan. In this courtroom, with intense scrutiny and while under oath, the former president will attempt to persuade a single doubt-filled judge, rather than a jury, of his innocence regarding allegations that he exaggerated his net worth in order to deceive financial institutions and insurance companies.