Who was the New York Attorney General that sued the Trump Foundation?
Executive summary
The civil suit that formally accused the Donald J. Trump Foundation of long-running illegal conduct was filed by New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood on June 14, 2018, alleging “a shocking pattern of illegality” including unlawful political coordination and self-dealing [1] [2]. Subsequent enforcement actions, stipulations and a court order dissolving the foundation and extracting damages were secured by Attorney General Letitia James in 2019 after the Underwood filing and continued oversight stemming from that litigation [3] [4].
1. The complaint: who put a name on the lawsuit
The public record and contemporaneous news reports identify Barbara Underwood as the New York attorney general who filed the civil petition against the Donald J. Trump Foundation and its board—naming President Trump and three adult children—on June 14, 2018, charging extensive violations including illegal campaign coordination and self-dealing [1] [5] [2].
2. The case’s factual frame: what Underwood’s petition alleged
Underwood’s suit described the foundation as effectively a “checkbook” used for payments that benefited Mr. Trump and his businesses and alleged unlawful use of charitable funds for campaign and personal purposes, sought dissolution of the foundation, restitution of millions of dollars and bans on serving as directors of New York nonprofits [6] [2] [7].
3. The investigative lineage: Schneiderman’s probe and why Underwood acted
The civil action filed by Underwood built on an investigation begun under then-Attorney General Eric Schneiderman after reporting in 2016; Schneiderman’s office had blocked an attempted dissolution in December 2016 pending probe, and Underwood—who became acting attorney general after Schneiderman’s resignation—took the step of filing the suit in mid‑2018 [1] [7] [2].
4. Enforcement and resolution: Letitia James’s role after the filing
Although Underwood filed the 2018 lawsuit, subsequent court orders, stipulations, and a 2019 enforcement outcome announcing dissolution, restitution and restrictions on Mr. Trump’s future charitable activities were publicized by Attorney General Letitia James, who secured court orders and released statements about the damages and ongoing reporting requirements [3] [4]. Those 2019 actions enforced and finalized relief that flowed from the earlier petition and the court process.
5. Why two AG names appear in reporting—and what each did
Different names appear in coverage because the legal matter spanned multiple administrations of New York’s Attorney General. Barbara Underwood filed the June 2018 petition that framed the allegations and sought court relief [1] [2], while Letitia James, elected later, implemented settlements and announced court-ordered restitution and oversight in 2019 and continued related enforcement in subsequent litigation involving the Trumps [3] [4] [8]. Reporting therefore correctly attributes the initial suit to Underwood even as later enforcement actions were led publicly by James.
6. Bottom line and reporting caveats
The direct answer is simple: Barbara Underwood was the New York Attorney General who sued the Trump Foundation in June 2018 [1] [2]. It is important to note, and reporters have emphasized, that the matter was part of a longer investigatory arc begun under Schneiderman and later enforced and expanded by Letitia James, which explains why multiple New York attorneys general are associated with the foundation’s legal demise in public records [1] [7] [3]. Where available sources specify actions and dates, they were cited; if readers seek full court pleadings or the sequence of stipulations and orders they should consult the attorney general filings and the New York Supreme Court docket referenced in those press releases and news reports [3] [2].