Donald Trump’s court battle over claims he inflated his property values by $2.2 billion doesn’t seem to have deflated anyone’s appetite.

A large order of McDonald’s was lugged into the Manhattan court on Monday during the lunch break in Trump’s $250 million civil fraud trial.

Staff in dark suits were spotted carrying the brown paper bags into the Centre Street complex after the former president listened to prosecutors accuse him of decades of ‘lies’ over his business empire.

It’s not clear who ordered the haul of fast food, but Trump is known to enjoy an occasional meal from the Golden Arches.

His favorite meal is a Big Mac, Filet-O-Fish, fries and a vanilla shake.

Earlier this year, he told the workers he knew the menu better than they did during a visit to a McDonald’s in East Palestine, Ohio.

He then gave burgers to members of the community devastated by a toxic train derailment.

One of his most famous White House events was when he gave the National Championship-winning Clemson University football team an order from his favorite fast food venue.

The court food order followed a dramatic morning session where Trump’s lawyers said he was actually worth more than amounts prosecutors claim were fraudulent.

Trump’s team also said Mar-a-Lago - which prosecutors said should be valued at as little as $18 million - is actually worth more than $ 1 billion.

In a combative defense opening statement Trump lawyer Alina Habba said: ‘There is a person out there who will buy that (Mar-A-Lago) for over $1 billion. That’s not fraud, that’s real estate.’

Earlier, Trump, 77, scowled and shook his head as prosecutors accused him of ‘lying year after year’ to exaggerate the value of his property empire by $2.2 billion to obtain favorable bank loans.

In extraordinary scenes inside New York Supreme Court the judge Arthur Engoron grinned for TV cameras as Trump sat looking sternly on, at one point muttering under his breath.

Habba told the court the amount prosecutors claimed was fraudulent was 'frankly less than what they (the Trump family) are worth’.

She said the true value of Trump’s net worth would include his personal brand from shows like The Apprentice.

‘There’s a lot of people in this room that probably don’t like that but it’s a fact,’ she said.

Habba claimed Trump’s Florida golf course Doral was also worth over $1 billion, sparking laughter in the public gallery.

She said it was ‘one of the best golf courses in the country’, and praised the Trump Organization as a ‘beautiful company’. She added: ‘Real estate is malleable but there was absolutely no intent to defraud, no conspiracy’.

The case set a ‘very dangerous precedent for all business owners in the state of New York,’ she said.

Just before entering the courtroom a combative Trump delivered an explosive tirade in which he railed against the ‘rogue’ judge and ‘racist horror show’ attorney general Letitia James, who brought the case.

Trump could face up to $250 million in fines and the potential loss of his licenses for buildings including Trump Tower in New York.

‘This is a continuation of the single greatest witch hunt of all time,’ Trump said before going into court. ‘It’s a scam. It’s a sham. There was no crime. The crime is against me.’

  • Evilcoleslaw@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    His favorite meal is a Big Mac, Filet-O-Fish, fries and a vanilla shake.

    Friendly reminder that when he was booked in Atlanta they listed his weight at 215lbs.

    • logicbomb@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      If you read the entire article, it’s pretty clear that this is a fluff piece for Trump.

      They order McDonalds to give an excuse for the story, then The Daily Mail can just repeat Trump’s propaganda. For example, they talk about how Trump served McDonalds at the WH, but not about how poorly that went over.

      They say that “the prosecutor” is saying that Mar-a-Lago is worth only $18 million, but those are numbers that came from Trump’s tax filings when he was defrauding the government to pay less in taxes. Those numbers came from Trump.

      They quote Trump and his lawyers over and over, but don’t bother posting quotes from people critical to Trump.

      So no, this is not news. It’s propaganda.

      • osarusan@kbin.social
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        1 year ago

        Precisely. And this is how Trump wins. Dumb shit like this filling the news, TV, and internet every goddamned day. It’s how he beat out all the other candidates in 2016, it’s how he beat Hillary Clinton, and it’s how he’s going to win in 2024. Constant free news coverage from a fawning media that care more about ad clicks than the society we live in.

      • tigeruppercut
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        1 year ago

        They could’ve mentioned several other food stories related to the cheeto, such as when he declared that he would buy everyone’s food in a restaurant and then promptly left without spending a dime, or the time he ate a taco bowl to try to win over hispanic voters.

        The Mail continues to be a fucking rag.

    • SatanicNotMessianic@lemmy.ml
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      1 year ago

      This is news because one of the single biggest con men in American - perhaps world - history is trying to get away with crimes that are fully in the public record, and half of the political might of the country is willing to go along with it and shield him from repercussions because he’s a populist autocrat without whom they cannot win.

      • Godric@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        Maybe run that story instead instead of this moronic swill, this is right up there with Tswift attending a sports game in terms of newsworthiness

        • BottleOfAlkahest@lemmy.world
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          Edit: you know what, it’s not worth arguing about the rampant filler journalists use before burying relevant stuff deep in stories. Put 3 paragraphs about Trumps past McDonalds orders at the front of the news story, why the fuck not.

        • SatanicNotMessianic@lemmy.ml
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          1 year ago

          You’re making a fair point, but we have to factor in:

          1. This is a Daily Mail article. Daily Mail makes the New York Post look like the New York Times. You kinda need to grade on a curve.
          2. Despite that, the bulk of the article is about the actual case against Trump. Some editor decided on the lede, but the article as a whole isn’t sensationalist tripe about fast food.
    • Pratai@lemmy.ca
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      1 year ago

      People. People care. You’re not the only one that lives here. You would do well to understand this.

        • Pratai@lemmy.ca
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          1 year ago

          I “deadass” care that he’s making a mockery of our judicial system.

          If you don’t, move on.

            • Pratai@lemmy.ca
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              Your comment history shows you “deadass” care about a lot of dumb shit. Maybe remove the evidence of this before commenting here about what others should care about.

              • Godric@lemmy.world
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                1 year ago

                Not only do you care about someone else’s MacD’s order, you’re trying to comb through my posts like it’s some kinda gotcha XD

                You seem to have wayy more passion invested in fast food lunches than I ever would, so I’ll stop here. Have a lovely night bud! 🌙

  • plz1@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    “They got McDonald’s for lunch” is a fucking newsworthy event? FFS

    • loopedcandle@lemmynsfw.com
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      1 year ago

      That’s how this guy wins. And it pisses me off.

      This is not news. But someone reports it and his damned name gets broadcast all over again.

    • Too Ren@lemmynsfw.com
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      1 year ago

      “But grrr eating fast food is something I deem low class, and a therefore a former president eating it is a tragedy grr”

      • darthfabulous42069@lemmy.world
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        It is low-class and to be a good president, you do in fact have to be better than that.

        Rejecting McDonald’s isn’t elitist, it’s intelligent. It’s overpriced disgusting garbage. The only way to eat it affordably is through the app which is what they use to exploit low-class people and the extreme poor – two completely separate groups. Donald Trump is not one of the extreme poor so guess which group he’s actually in (spoiler: it’s the low-class one).

        • Too Ren@lemmynsfw.com
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          People can infact like something even though it is unhealthy, how is eating McDonalds low class but not eating an expensive cake? Or fondue?

          • Clent@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Why are you simping for multi national corporation and a shit stain criminal like Trump.

            Too much fast food rot your brain?

            • Too Ren@lemmynsfw.com
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              Where did I simp? I criticized the classism and judgement of people for just eating what they like. It is their own lives, eating something you don’t like doesn’t make them a bad person. Grow up

              • Clent@lemmy.world
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                I’m not don’t to argue with a class warrior that no one needs and no one asks for but I am going to point out hilarity of your “Grow up” statement.

                You’re clearly judgmental as anyone else here.

                You’ve clearly chosen this particular hill to fight upon.

                Call it what you will but it’s a choice and you’ve made this one and it’s a silly one, in my rarely humble opinion.

  • TechyDad@lemmy.world
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    I’m watching my calories (need to drop a few pounds) and my first thought was: Do you know how many calories are in a Big Mac, Filet-of-Fish, fries, and a milkshake?!!!

    Of course, I had to figure it out. Assuming a small fries and small milkshake (and let’s be honest, be probably gets the biggest ones not the smallest), it would be 1,652 calories. The average person should eat 2,200 to 3,200 calories a day. So this lunch would be Trump eating 52% to 75% of his daily calories in one meal.

    • kmartburrito@lemmy.world
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      That’s why homie has a dump truck of an ass

      Edit - hilarious , I thought I should cite my claim, and found this jewel, I legit made my statement before finding this page

    • DarkGamer@kbin.social
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      Trump seems to abuse stimulants that would presumably up his calories burned. The crew from The Apprentice claimed he snorted Adderall, and he seemed to be cranked up on something during a few of his debates.

    • Conyak@lemmy.tf
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      That is why trump is fat. Does anyone think he is actually in good shape?

      • TechyDad@lemmy.world
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        Given how he eats and how he thinks that exercise “depletes your battery” and is thus actually bad for you, it’s no surprise that he’s so heavy.

    • Too Ren@lemmynsfw.com
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      I mean, I’m not fat but thats what I do. I like to get one big meal and enjoy it while watching something, then not eat anything else.

  • Rapidcreek@reddthat.com
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    Nyc One of the greatest places in the world to get lunch. Every type of cuisine in the world. Chinese, japanese, italian, indian, jewish deli, He coulda gotten a pastrami sandwich from katz’s, a slice of margerita from lombardi’s The eggplant parm from parm, anything from eataly Moo shu from shun lee dynasty, the curry from brick lane, Dumplings from mr dumpling, pierogies from veselka, Sushi from nobu

    But no He ordered from mcdonalds. He should be indicted for THAT.

  • edric@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    The IRS should take notes everytime his lawyers exaggerate his net worth, then bill him for the appropriate amount of taxes.

  • jarfil@lemmy.world
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    1 year ago

    In a combative defense opening statement Trump lawyer Alina Habba said: ‘There is a person out there who will buy that (Mar-A-Lago) for over $1 billion. That’s not fraud, that’s real estate.’

    So… fraud.

    • SwampYankee@mander.xyz
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      There is a person out there who will buy Mar-A-Lago for over $1 billion. That person is an Eastern European national involved in the international human trafficking of Eastern European teenage girls under the guise of “modeling” who’s massively overpaying in order to launder money.

  • dependencyInjection@sh.itjust.works
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    Left or right aside here, it’s laughable that these people can commit fraud of the highest order but god forbid someone steals a sandwich and catches a charge.

    Or tries to pass off a fake note and gets murdered.

    Or any number of tangible examples.

    • Clent@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      Think of his poor gut microbes. They are the only the intelligence to be found in the meat sack, occasionally referred to as Trump.

      What heinous acts could they have possible committed to be reincarnated into such a vile host

  • Yewb@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    “Look he is just like me and eats McDonald’s!”

    Seems like a pr stunt

      • vaultdweller013@sh.itjust.works
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        1 year ago

        Remember the mcfeast at the whitehouse. Fuck mcdonalds aint even the cheap fast food anymore, atleast get a some taco bell or something.

        • BigBananaDealer@lemm.ee
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          taco bell isnt even cheap. chipotle has cheaper burritos now. at least last i had checked. its fucking absurd. each “new” item taco bell releases is like 2 dollars over what it should be. like a chicken taco thing was like 4.50

          • betwixthewires@lemmy.basedcount.com
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            You guys both need to stop eating garbage and start cooking your own food. It’s cheaper, it’s fun and you get to eat something that isn’t made of garbage.

            • DragonTypeWyvern@literature.cafe
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              Eh, Taco Bell is pretty much the only vegetarian option out there for fast food that isn’t completely garbage. And sometimes you just need a meal quick, having opinions on fast food doesn’t mean you eat nothing else.

            • BigBananaDealer@lemm.ee
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              last time i went to taco bell was a week ago and last time before that was june. yeah i really have a serious problem and only eat garbage right? or should i tell you how often home cooked meals are?

  • Blapoo@lemmy.ml
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    I feel like this may be one of the most critical points in Trump’s story.

    If they rule he was undervaluing his brand, it will will amount to: “Nah bruh. You ain’t worth shit”

    Flip it: If he’s able to do the business thing and convince them he’s that valuable. . . He kind of confirms it.

    Either way, we’ll get some kind of answer to a fun question: Exactly how valuable is Trump?

    • givesomefucks@lemmy.world
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      It’s a catch 22.

      If he somehow wins this, then it means his worth is what he said on loans, and proves he under paid taxes.

      But losing this isn’t an automatic win on his taxes, because in all likelihood he lied on both.