NEW YORK: A defiant Donald Trump sparred with a New York judge and slammed the state attorney general suing him on Monday, using the witness stand at his civil fraud trial to defend his riches and lash out at a case that imperils his real estate empire.
The former president’s barbed testimony spurred the judge to admonish, “This is not a political rally.”
Trump’s long-awaited testimony about property valuations and financial statements was punctuated by personal jabs at state Judge Arthur Engoron, who he said was biased against him, and New York Attorney General Letitia James, whom he derided as a “political hack.”
He proudly boasted of his real estate business, “I’m worth billions of dollars more than the financial statements,” and disputed claims that he had deceived banks and insurers.
“This is the opposite of fraud,” he declared. Referring to James, a Democrat whose office brought the lawsuit, he said, “The fraud is her.”
The testy exchanges and frequent rebukes from the judge underscored Trump’s unwillingness to adapt his famously freewheeling rhetorical style to a formal courtroom setting governed by rules of evidence and legal protocol.
His presence on the stand was a reminder of the legal troubles he faces as he vies to reclaim the White House in 2024.
It also functioned as a campaign platform for the former president and leading Republican presidential candidate to raise anew to supporters his claims of political persecution at the hands of government lawyers and judges.
“People are sick and tired of what’s happening. I think it is a very sad day for America,” Trump told reporters outside the courtroom after roughly three-and-a-half hours on the stand.
The civil trial is one of numerous legal proceedings facing Trump as he runs for a second term, including federal and state charges accusing him of crimes including illegally hoarding classified documents and scheming to overturn the 2020 presidential election. His legal and political strategies have become completely intertwined as he hopscotches between campaign events and court hearings, a schedule that would only intensify once his criminal trials begin.
Trump has been particularly engaged in his fraud trial, aggrieved by the suggestion that he’s worth less than he’s claimed.