In a high-profile civil fraud case in New York, former President Donald Trump found himself at odds with the trial judge, Arthur Engoron, as he testified on Monday.
Trump, who expressed his skepticism about the judge’s rulings, said, “I’m sure the judge will rule against me because he always rules against me,” according to Daily CBSNews.
Judge Engoron’s patience wore thin as Trump frequently provided lengthy responses to questions about the valuations of various Trump Organization assets.
In an attempt to ease the proceedings, Trump’s lawyer, Christopher Kise, convinced Engoron to allow Trump to answer questions in his own way, saying, “With this witness, it’s far more efficient to listen and take it all in.”
However, tensions escalated as the judge’s frustration became evident. Engoron’s voice rose, and his microphone strained to handle the sudden increase in volume as he firmly stated, “No, I’m not here to hear what he has to say. I’m here to hear him answer questions. Sit down.”
Engoron indicated that he might draw negative conclusions from Trump’s testimony, remarking, “We got another speech. I beseech you to control yourself if I can. If you can’t, I will. I will excuse him and draw every negative inference that I can.”
Notably, earlier reports had indicated that Donald Trump was scheduled to testify during the trial. New York Attorney-General Letitia James has accused the Trump Organization of inflating the value of its assets by billions of dollars to secure more favorable bank loans and insurance terms.
Despite his public persona, Trump’s testimony on the stand was expected to align with a conservative line of defense similar to his sons’ approach the previous week. This defense argued that accountants were ultimately responsible for verifying the accuracy of the company’s financial statements.
It’s worth noting that Trump had previously given testimony twice in connection with the case, both times in closed-door sessions.
| Sahara Reporters
