A defiant former President Donald Trump took the stand on Monday at the New York County Supreme Court in his civil fraud case regarding the valuation of his assets, clashing with Justice Arthur Engoron, who struggled with controlling Trump.
C-SPAN
Trump early on on the stand reportedly went off a monologue in which he called the trial “crazy,” prompting Justice Arthur Engoron to instruct Trump to only answer questions presented to him, according to Messenger reporter Adam Klasfeld.
Trump reportedly took a swipe at Engoron, reportedly going “off on a tangent” about the statute of limitations in which he said, “I’m sure the judge will rule against me because he always rules against me.”
Engoron asked Trump’s counsel Chris Kise if “that was necessary,” before telling Trump, “You can attack me, do whatever you want, but answer the question.”
Engoron asked Kise, “Can you control your client? This is not a political rally.”
Kise reportedly responded to him, “You’re in control of the courtroom, not me.”
Kise doesn’t confer with his client, and Trump boasts about his financial statements.
Trump: “It’s a nice compilation of assets. It’s a great statement. […] It’s a lot of cash. […] The banks came to me. They wanted to make deals with me.”
Judge: “Stricken! Stricken!”
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) November 6, 2023
Later, Engoron pleaded with Trump’s lawyer to “control him, if you can.”
Engoron: “I beseech you to control him, if you can.”
The judge warns Kise that if he will control Trump if the lawyer doesn’t.
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) November 6, 2023
Trump lawyers Alina Habba and Kise defended Trump, saying he was being responsive to the questions.
Habba told Engoron he was there to “hear what he has to say,” prompting Engoron to snap: “I’m not here to hear what he has to say. He’s here to answer questions.”
Trump:
“This is a very unfair trial. Very, very unfair, and I hope the public is watching it.”
— Adam Klasfeld (@KlasfeldReports) November 6, 2023
Trump responded: “This is a very unfair trial. Very, very unfair, and I hope the public is watching it.”
Trump also during his testimony took a dig at New York Attorney General Letitia James, reportedly telling her counsel, “you” and other “Democrat” prosecutors “were all coming after me from 15 different sides.”
All of the cases are “not good,” Trump reportedly said. “Weaponization, they call it,” he said.
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