Former Watergate prosecutor Nick Ackerman said former President Trump is “toast” in his New York civil fraud case.
New York Attorney General Letitia James’ case accuses Trump, his two adult sons, the Trump Organization, and top executives of falsely inflating the values of Trump’s real estate properties and other assets in order to get tax benefits and better loan terms.
James seeks around $250 million in damages, and she wants to bar Trump and his co-defendants from running another business in New York.
According to The Hill, Ackerman argued people are not only focused on the former president’s testimony but also his deposition with James’s lawyers last summer, where he invoked the Fifth Amendment more than 400 times.
“Now what does it mean to take the Fifth Amendment? It means that you are refusing to answer a question, because a truthful answer would tend to be incriminating,” Ackerman said. “Then what did Donald Trump do last week? He went into court and said, ‘Oh, I didn’t do anything fraudulent, I wasn’t involved in a fraud.’ Which is just the opposite what in effect he was saying when he took the Fifth Amendment in his deposition.”
“So you’ve got contradictory testimony,” Ackerman continued. “You can use his assertion of the Fifth Amendment against him to basically find that he’s lying, that he’s manipulating the system when he goes in, refuses to answer questions, answers the questions in a half-baked manner.”
Earlier this week when Trump took the stand he fiercely defended his business practices and condemned those involved in the case as politically motivated “Trump haters.”
“I just don’t see how this judge at the end of the day is not going to find that, with respect to Donald Trump … ‘Liar, liar, pants on fire,’” Ackerman said.
Ackerman said that in his more than 40 years of civil law experience, he has never seen anyone “do such a stupid move as to suddenly start testifying” after they’ve taken the Fifth Amendment.
Fox News primetime host Laura Ingraham has been named a board member of a new special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) led by Donald Trump Jr..
The blank-check firm, Colombier Acquisition Corp. III, filed its registration statement with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Friday, planning to raise 26 million units at $10 each — a total IPO target of about $260 million.
The stated mission of the new SPAC is stirring: the company intends to “fund the next chapter of American Exceptionalism and help Make America Grow Again.”
A Powerful Line-Up
This initiative brings together heavyweight conservative and business voices:
Donald Trump Jr. himself is listed as a director of the SPAC.
Ingraham, as noted, takes a board seat, aligning her media voice with pro-growth, America-first business leadership.
Others on the board include billionaire investor Chamath Palihapitiya (often dubbed “Wall Street’s SPAC king”), Blake Masters (a former president of the Thiel Foundation and GOP Senate candidate-turned-investor), and conservative business leader Chris Buskirk of 1789 Capital.
The SPAC is sponsored by 1789 Capital — a firm with ties to Trump family allies including Trump Jr. — and led operationally by finance veteran Omeed Malik.
Why This Matters for the Republican Agenda
Scaling American Growth — The SPAC presents an opportunity to invest in high-potential private companies that are aligned with conservative economic principles: innovation, domestic manufacturing, job creation. It echoes longstanding themes of shrinking dependency on foreign supply chains and revitalizing American industry.
Bringing Conservative Media Into the Arena — Laura Ingraham’s role on the board is significant beyond her television presence. It bridges the media platform with private-capital activity in service of a pro-growth agenda, reinforcing conservative alignment across cultural and economic spheres.
Leveraging the Trump Ecosystem — This SPAC is further proof of increasing alignment between the Trump family’s business interests and the conservative movement. With Trump Jr. at the helm and Fox News hosts like Ingraham working in the same orbit, the cultural and economic wings of the movement are becoming more integrated. Some might view this as a consolidation of influence — and for supporters, it represents an effective mobilization of talent, media, capital and ideas.
Messaging Strength — The marketing language around “American Exceptionalism,” “Make America Grow Again,” and taking bold action to merge private champions into public markets resonates deeply with patriotic, pro-growth, and pro-Liberty voters and investors. It signals optimism about the future of U.S. business and opportunity.
Considerations for Conservative Investors & Supporters
Alignment of values and vision: This venture clearly invites participation by those who believe in American economic strength, renewal of manufacturing, and innovation under a conservative framework.
Risk and reward: As with all SPACs, there are inherent risks — particularly the uncertainty of what private company will be merged and how the market will react. However, the backing of high-profile conservative leaders may bring a unique brand strength and network effect.
Cultural impact: Ingraham’s involvement means that conservative media will potentially be linked to private-market outcomes. This could amplify messaging but also raise questions about separation of media and business roles (a subject of debate).
Timing: The filing was recent, and the IPO process is underway. As the venture develops, more details will emerge (which company they will target, when, etc.). Supporters should watch for updates and ensure that the company they merge with aligns with the broader vision.
What’s Next
Supporters in the conservative movement will likely view this development as a concrete manifestation of turning media influence into economic muscle — shaping culture and business in tandem.
The IPO units are expected to trade under the ticker “CLBR U” on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE).
The next steps will include selecting a target company to merge with, closing the deal, and executing on growth plans. Investors should monitor the company’s announcements and disclosures via SEC filings.
Media watchers will track how this move influences the relationship between conservative media, the Trump business ecosystem, and public market investment.
Billionaire Elon Musk has no plan to back away from politics anytime soon.
SpaceX owner Elon Musk vowed to keep up his political activities in a social media post on Tuesday, saying he would take an active role in the GOP primaries ahead of the 2026 midterms.
“Normally, PACs go somewhat dormant after a big election,” Musk wrote on X, adding:
@America PAC is going to do the opposite and keep grinding, increasing Republican registrations in key districts around the country, in preparation for special elections and the midterms.
“And, of course, play a significant role in primaries,” Musk added.
Normally, PACs go somewhat dormant after a big election.@America PAC is going to do the opposite and keep grinding, increasing Republican registrations in key districts around the country, in preparation for special elections and the midterms.
Musk’s PAC reportedly spent some $200 million to help get Trump reelected in recent months. Musk himself, the world’s richest man, donated some $120 million to aid in Trump’s reelection bid – making him Trump’s second biggest backer after billionaire Timothy Mellon.
Musk’s pledge to stay active in GOP politics is the first sign his interest in the party extends far beyond Trump as activism.
President-elect Trump announced three special envoys on Thursday with the purpose of promoting business in Hollywood.
Those special ambassadors will be Jon Voight, Mel Gibson, and Sylvester Stallone, Trump said. All three actors are conservative and have appeared publicly with Trump or praised him publicly in the past. Stallone, for example, praised Trump as “the second George Washington” while introducing him at the America First Policy Gala in Palm Beach in November.
“It is my honor to announce Jon Voight, Mel Gibson, and Sylvester Stallone, to be Special Ambassadors to a great but very troubled place, Hollywood, California,” Trump wrote in a Thursday Truth Social post. “They will serve as Special Envoys to me for the purpose of bringing Hollywood, which has lost much business over the last four years to Foreign Countries, BACK—BIGGER, BETTER, AND STRONGER THAN EVER BEFORE!”
“These three very talented people will be my eyes and ears, and I will get done what they suggest,” Trump added. “It will again be, like The United States of America itself, The Golden Age of Hollywood!”
The actors’ support for Trump is particularly significant given the strong anti-Trump sentiment voiced by many Hollywood progressives, such as George Clooney, who embrace politicians like former President Barack Obama.
“When George Washington defended his country, he had no idea that he was going to change the world,” Stallone said of Trump in November. “‘Cause without him, you can imagine what the world would look like. Guess what, we got the second George Washington.”
On Monday, former President Donald Trump moved to overturn his criminal conviction in the Manhattan hush-money case after the Supreme Court ruled presidents have immunity for “official acts” committed while in office.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg charged the former president in May with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. Trump pleaded not guilty to all counts in the Manhattan case.
Lawyers for Trump had filed a motion to dismiss the verdict hours after the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Duncan Lock, Dflock, CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons
The motion came on the same day that the district attorney’s office sent sentencing recommendations to Judge Juan M. Merchan – who presided over the Manhattan trial – though it remains unclear whether that will be seen by the public, per reporting from The New York Times. Judge Merchan has received a letter from Trump’s lawyers, a person familiar with the matter confirmed to Fox News Digital.
The letter asks for permission to file a motion to vacate the jury’s Manhattan verdict, asks for a delay of the July 11 sentencing, and cites the high court’s decision in arguing that evidence was included at trial that should not have been admitted.
To file a motion in New York, defendants must first request permission from the judge in the case.
🚨 #BREAKING: President Trump’s July 11 sentencing likely to be DELAYED, as the Manhattan DA’s office declines to push back on Trump’s requests to throw the case out.
On Tuesday, Manhattan prosecutors agreed with Donald J. Trump’s request to postpone his criminal sentencing so that the judge overseeing the case could weigh whether a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling might impact his conviction, according to The New York Times.
On Monday, the Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that a former president has absolute immunity for his core constitutional powers.
Former presidents are also entitled to at least a presumption of immunity for their official acts. There is no immunity, the court holds, for unofficial acts.
The Supreme Court returned the case to the trial court to determine what is left of special counsel Jack Smith’s indictment against the former President.
On Thursday, a Manhattan grand jury found financier Bruce Garelick guilty of insider trading charges in a scheme that involved the merger of former President Donald J. Trump’s social media company with a publicly traded shell company.
Federal prosecutors had charged Garelick with five counts of securities fraud and conspiracy.
Statement of U.S. Attorney Damian Williams on the conviction of Bruce Garelick
Authorities claimed Garelick shared confidential information with his boss and at least one other person that Trump Media & Technology Group, the parent company of Truth Social, was close to announcing a merger with Digital World Acquisition Group, the shell company.
Mr. Garelick, 54, a former hedge fund manager, had been a board member of Digital World.
The information helped two brothers — Michael Shvartsman and Gerald Shvartsman — make nearly $23 million in illegal trading profits by buying Digital World securities in advance of the announcement, which sent the stock soaring. Mr. Garelick, who worked for Michael Shvartsman at a small Miami-based venture capital firm called Rocket One, made about $50,000 by trading off what authorities said was nonpublic information.
Last month, the Shvartsman brothers decided to forgo a trial and pleaded guilty to securities fraud charges. In their plea agreements, prosecutors have recommended a sentence of roughly four to five years for Michael Shvartsman; and three to four years for his younger brother.
Digital World raised about $300 million from investors in its initial public offering in September 2021. A little over a month later, the SPAC announced a deal to merge with Trump Media. After a long delay, the merger was completed in March and Trump Media became a publicly traded company. Mr. Trump’s nearly 70 percent stake in the firm is worth about $6 billion.
In a closing argument, Daniel Nessim, a federal prosecutor, described Mr. Garelick as a “sophisticated professional” who “cheated” and used inside information to benefit himself and his boss, Michael Shvartsman.
Garelick could face at least 25 years in prison.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
Former President of the United States Donald Trump speaking with attendees at the 2022 Student Action Summit at the Tampa Convention Center in Tampa, Florida. [Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons]
On a bustling Thursday night in San Francisco, former President Donald Trump marked another impressive milestone in his 2024 presidential campaign. The presumptive Republican nominee and front-runner, according to the polls, celebrated a monumental $12 million fundraising haul. The fundraising event, hosted by prominent Silicon Valley figures, David Sacks and Chamath Palihapitiya, highlighted the undeniable shift in the tech industry, an arena traditionally dominated by liberal ideologies.
“These are brilliant guys – AI guys – these are the guys that are doing all the things you read about,” Trump gushed to Fox News Digital. These are just a brilliant group of people. And they can’t relate to Biden because he is a stupid person – and I have a high IQ.”
Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
“They don’t like dealing with an IQ that’s like, you know, 1/3 of theirs, because it is a difficult thing when someone has an IQ of 180, it is difficult to deal with a man with an IQ of 70 – or maybe lower,” Trump added, attempting to goad the current president.
Sacks endorsed Trump hours before the high-dollar fundraiser at his multimillion-dollar home, located near the residence of Nancy and Paul Pelosi, symbolizing the growing willingness of certain tech industry leaders to publicly support Trump, a stance that previously rendered individuals persona non grata in Silicon Valley. (RELATED: San Francisco Sued Over Gender Scheme Targeting Minority Men)
Known for his business acumen and successful investments, including his status as an angel investor for Facebook, Uber, SpaceX, and Airbnb, Sachs’ support signals a broader acceptance of Trump’s candidacy within a traditionally GOP skeptical community.
Trump told Fox News Digital that Sacks’ “strong” endorsement “is a great testament to what I’ve accomplished.”
“David Sacks — the king of that world — David Sacks and the group that we were with are the most respected people in San Francisco from both a business and high tech standpoint,” Trump told Fox News Digital. “They love our country and they understand what’s happening into the future with technology better than any group, anywhere in the world.”
“One of the primary reasons for the endorsement was the four years that we had in office, which was the best four years ever for high tech, which will play an increasingly important role in the future of our country, especially as it relates to AI and all of the other new and brilliant technologies coming right at this moment,” Trump said. “It is a very exciting time and it is a great honor to have the most brilliant minds supporting, by far, the most brilliant leader.”
Why I’m Backing President Trump
As many press accounts have reported, I’m hosting a fundraising event for President Donald J. Trump at my home in San Francisco this evening.
Over the last couple of years, I have hosted events for presidential candidates Ron DeSantis, Vivek…
“My reasons rest on four main issues that I think are vital to American prosperity, security and stability — issues where the Biden administration has veered badly off course and where I believe President Trump can lead us back,” Sacks said Thursday.
Other guests at Sacks’ Pacific Heights fundraiser included the Winklevoss twins, who successfully sued Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg for allegedly stealing their idea, which later became Facebook.
JD Lasica from Pleasanton, CA, US, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons
“He wasn’t the guy I see on TV,” one source told the New York Post. “He was very thoughtful and self-deprecating.” More than 100 guest attended the San Francisco soirée, paying as much as $300,000 a head.
Historically, Silicon Valley has been a bastion of liberal politics, with many tech leaders supporting Democratic candidates and policies. This alignment was driven by shared values around social issues and environmental sustainability. (RELATED: Google Shuts Down Its AI Chatbot ‘Gemini’ For Being Woke And Racist)
However, the dynamics may be changing. The industry’s rapid growth has brought increased scrutiny and regulatory pressures from Democratic lawmakers. Concerns over antitrust actions, data privacy regulations and labor practices have strained relationships between tech giants and the Democratic Party.
In contrast, Trump’s deregulatory stance, pro-business policies and tax reforms align with the interests of a growing number of Silicon Valley insiders.
Shipping and logistics company DHL sued Mike Lindell’s MyPillow this week over an alleged shipping debt of nearly $800,000.
In the lawsuit filed in Minneapolis on Monday, DHL alleged Lindell’s company violated a previous lawsuit settlement from May 2023 which required MyPillow to pay off its $775,000 debt to DHL in 24 monthly installments.
According to the lawsuit, MyPillow only partially paid off the required installments, paying DHL $64,583.34, with the last installment in June.
DHL reportedly threatened to sue MyPillow in July and, after several months of no success, finally filed its lawsuit in court this week.
DHL is now seeking $799,925.59 from MyPillow, along with attorney fees and an 18% annual interest.
Gavel via Wikimedia Commons Image
Lindell who has been a vocal and active supporter of former President Donald Trump has been embroiled in a number of lawsuits over the past few years, including defamation lawsuits from Dominion Voting Systems and Smartmatic over his allegations that the 2020 election was rigged.
In February, Lindell was ordered to pay $5 million to a man after he lost his own “Prove Mike Wrong” challenge.
In March, MyPillow was evicted from a warehouse in Minnesota for allegedly being $200,000 behind on rent.
On Thursday night, RNC chair Lara Trump released her second single and teased the release of several more songs coming soon.
According to Mediaite, Trump—who made headlines with her 2023 cover of Tom Petty’s “I Won’t Back Down”—spontaneously dropped yet another single, “Anything is Possible,” at midnight on Thursday evening.
“A little something I had fun with over the winter,” wrote Trump in a social media post announcing the song. “And a few more too that I’ll save for a future date, special for my YUGE fans in the liberal media [winky face emoji].”
A little something I had fun with over the winter ☺️🎹🎶 (and a few more too that I’ll save for a future date, special for my YUGE fans in the liberal media 😜) pre-save link below. Officially available at midnight tonight! 🙌🏽https://t.co/ll09EN3X9lpic.twitter.com/ltREDIybqW
In the uplifting single about faith, which is currently available to stream on Spotify and Apple Music, Trump sings, “I’ve had my ups and downs, cried when no one’s around. Still I gotta put my game face on, even when I’m not feeling strong. No matter how it seems, I wouldn’t trade a thing, ’cause all of it makes me who I am.”
She continues in the chorus, “Don’t think, just jump, you can’t give up. Know that anything is possible. Have faith, believe, just trust, you’ll see, anything is possible.”
It is unclear whether Trump currently has an album in the works or whether she has just produced a collection of singles.
Earlier this month, Trump was elected to serve as co-chair of the Republican National Committee following Ronna McDaniel’s exit.
“Judge Judy” Sheindlin called Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s (D) hush money case against former President Trump “nonsense” in a recent interview.
“You gotta twist yourself into a pretzel to figure out what the crime was. [Bragg] doesn’t like him — New York City didn’t like him for a while,” Sheindlin said of Trump in a “Who’s Talking to Chris Wallace?” interview streaming Friday on Max.
“I would be happier, as someone who owns property in Manhattan, if the district attorney of New York County would take care of criminals who were making it impossible for citizens to walk in the streets and use the subway, to use his efforts to keep those people off the street, than to spend $5 million or $10 million of taxpayers’ money trying Donald Trump on this nonsense,” the longtime TV judge told Wallace.
Watch:
Judge Judy: “As a person who owns property in Manhattan I would be happier if Alvin Bragg took care of criminals who make it impossible to ride the subway or walk the streets, than spending $10 million of taxpayer money trying Donald Trump on nonsense.” pic.twitter.com/YBD2uBEub8
“I, as a taxpayer in this country, resent using the system for your own personal self-aggrandizement,” the “Judy Justice” personality said of Bragg.
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Asked by the CNN anchor what she thought of Trump, the 81-year-old former Manhattan Family Court judge replied, “I think he was a good businessman, a real estate guy. And he was certainly terrific on ‘The Apprentice.’”
They argue that Trump’s public statements have increased tensions and led to threats against Bragg and his team before Trump’s July 11 sentencing.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office charged Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business records as part of a hush-money scheme to prevent porn star Stormy Daniels from speaking out about her alleged extramarital affair before the 2016 presidential election.
Before Trump, no sitting or former president ever faced criminal charges. This is the lowest level felony in New York, any potential sentence will more than likely be served after the 2024 election.
The order, issued before Mr. Trump’s Manhattan criminal trial began in mid-April, bars him from attacking witnesses, jurors, court staff and relatives of the judge who presided over the trial, Juan M. Merchan.
Mr. Trump’s lawyers have sought to have the order lifted since Mr. Trump’s conviction in late May. But in a 19-page filing on Friday, prosecutors argued that while Justice Merchan no longer needed to enforce the portion of the gag order relating to trial witnesses, he should keep in place the provisions protecting jurors, prosecutors, court staff and their families.
Article Published With The Permission of American Liberty News
