Donald Trump Botches Letitia James Insult

Former President Donald Trump botched an insult hurled at New York Attorney General Letitia James during a speech on Wednesday night.

Trump, the presumed 2024 GOP presidential nominee, has launched continual attacks against James as he appeals the civil fraud lawsuit filed against him by the New York prosecutor in September 2022. James accused the former president, The Trump Organization and company executives of fraudulently overvaluing assets to secure more favorable bank loans and taxation deals.

New York State Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron found Trump liable of fraud, in February ordering the former president to pay nearly $355 million, plus interest, and barred him from doing business in New York for three years. Trump has maintained his innocence and repeatedly says that the case is politically motivated.

During an event at Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on Wednesday night, the former president, in a puzzling speech, mistakenly referred to Letitia James as "Letitia Jones" while attempting to mock her.

"They put him into the state of New York and then ultimately into the D.A.'s office to run the case. This is being run by [President Joe] Biden.

"They put a man into the state ... Letitia Jones. Peekaboo, I call her. Peekaboo. They put a man into that one, Letitia, they put a man into that one to run it and then he went into the D.A.'s office," Trump said.

Newsweek reached out to Trump's spokesman and James' office via email for comment on Thursday.

A clip of Trump incorrectly referring to the attorney general as "Letitia Jones" was shared to X, formerly Twitter, on Thursday by PatriotTakes, an account that documents "right-wing extremism," according to its X bio. The post has gotten nearly 69,000 views in the two hours it has been posted.

It is unclear to whom Trump was referring when he talked about the man from the D.A.'s office. However, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has previously served as chief deputy attorney general of New York. He has also been attacked by Trump, as Bragg was the first to bring criminal charges against the former president.

Trump was indicted in March 2023 on charges of falsifying business records relating to a hush-money payment made to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels during Trump's 2016 presidential campaign, following an investigation by Bragg's office. The former president has pleaded not guilty to all charges and says this case is also politically motivated. The trial will begin on Monday.

It is unclear what Trump meant by the nickname he gave to James during Wednesday night's speech—"Peekaboo." He has used this nickname to refer to the attorney general on several occasions. Some on social media have accused him of using it as a racial slur.