Ex-US President Donald Trump 'questioned for hours' with regards to lawsuit by protesters

Former United States President Donald Trump was questioned on Monday, October 18, in a deposition for a lawsuit filed by protesters. The protesters have accused his security team of attacking them in the early days of his presidential campaign in 2015.

As per the AP report, Trump testified under oath at Trump Tower in New York, for several hours. His videotaped testimony would be presented before the jury if the case goes to trial. 

Trump faces questions in a lawsuit 

A lawyer for the plaintiff, Benjamin Dictor, stated that Trump was questioned on various topics that included his comments made at the campaign rallies, where they allege he had seemingly encouraged 'security personnel to treat protesters harshly,' as per AP report. The lawsuit filed by five persons of Mexican origin living in New York have alleged that Trump's bodyguards assaulted them in Manhattan on 3 September, 2015. The people were, as per the AP report, protesting comments that Trump made about Mexico and Mexican immigrants. 

According to AP, Benjamin Dictor, the plaintiff's lawyer, mentioned that Trump behaviour in response to the questions matched his public image. Without divulging details into how Trump handled the questioning, he revealed that the former president's session proceeded like other depositions.

Dictor declined to comment on the "substance" of Trump's testimony and added that questioning of former President proved that "no one is above the law."

Benjamin Dictor said, "While we will not comment on the substance of Mr. Trump’s testimony at this time, we hope today’s events serve as an example that our institutions have prevailed and no one is above the law," as per AP.

In the lawsuit, former President Donald Trump, his company - The Trump Organization, his presidential campaign and security personnel are all defendants. Trump, in a statement following the deposition, viewed the deposition as an opportunity to tell his side of the story.

As per the AP report, he blamed the protesters for the scuffle and termed the accusations against him baseless, which involved "injuries they never suffered, and the temporary loss of a worthless cardboard sign which was soon thereafter returned to them."

"After years of litigation, I was pleased to have had the opportunity to tell my side of this ridiculous story — Just one more example of baseless harassment of your favourite President," AP quoted Trump as saying.

Inputs from AP

Image: AP