Donald Trump Jr. to Be Called to Testify at Upcoming Michael Cohen Civil Trial

Donald Trump Jr. can be called to testify at an upcoming trial over claims the Trump Organization stiffed Donald Trump's former fixer Michael Cohen out of reimbursement for legal fees, a judge ruled Friday.

In his lawsuit, Cohen claims he made agreements with executives at the Trump Organization that the company would pay his attorneys’ fees when he was being investigated by Congress and the FBI in 2017. 

At a hearing in Manhattan Supreme Court Friday, Cohen’s attorney argued they needed to call Don Jr. at the trial because the former president's son had a similar agreement with the Trump Organization—which covered his legal fees for the same matters through a legal agreement known as indemnification. 

Cohen's attorney, Hunter Winstead, also argued Donald Trump Jr. was one two people at the Trump Organization who approved legal expenditures.

New York Supreme Court Justice Joel Cohen sided with Winstead.

"He’s clearly a fact witness," Justice Cohen said. "If you can get him here, there’s no way I would preclude you from calling him as a witness."

Winstead told The Messenger outside of court that he expects Donald Trump Jr. to fight a subpoena, which may be delivered through the Trump Organization.

Trump Jr. has not been deposed in the case. Former president Trump will not be called to testify at the trial.

The case is scheduled to go before a jury four years after the original complaint was filed—and about 18 months after Cohen was released from prison after pleading guilty to campaign finance charges, lying to Congress and other crimes.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin July 17, and the four-day trial is slated to start before the end of the month.

Cohen sued the Trump Organization in 2019, claiming he incurred $1.9 million in legal fees during multiple congressional hearings, Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation and the criminal case against him brought in federal court in Manhattan. 

At least some of those bills are still unpaid, he alleges.

His lawsuit alleges that the company stopped paying for Cohen’s attorneys, “after it became clear that Mr. Cohen would cooperate in ongoing investigations into his work for the Trump Organization."

The suit was thrown out by Justice Cohen in 2021, but later reinstated after a successful appeal.