On the final day of his $370 million civil fraud trial in New York, former President Donald Trump ended up speaking during closing arguments without ever agreeing to the terms set up by the judge. One day earlier, Judge Arthur Engoron told Trump’s legal team that the former president could only speak on his behalf if he focused on ‘relevant, material facts,” did not turn it into a campaign speech, and refrained from criticizing New York Attorney General Letitia James.
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James accused Trump of falsifying financial statements to gain more favorable loans. Trump has denied any wrongdoing. Though Trump’s attorney did not agree to the judge’s terms, the former president delivered a five-minute address to the court on Thursday, Jan. 11, while seated at the defense table.
Trump said he’s an innocent man and claimed he’s being persecuted by someone running for office. Trump spoke out against the judge, saying he had his own agenda and called the lawsuit a political witch hunt. James responded to the remarks after the proceedings, saying her case had never been about politics. The judge is expected to rule in the case by Jan. 31. New York state law does not allow for juries in these types of cases.
Trump’s courtroom remarks came hours after law enforcement responded to a bomb threat at Judge Engoron’s home outside the city. Judge Engoron has become the target of threats as Trump has attacked his character throughout this trial. On his social media platform “Truth Social” Trump called Engoron a “Trump Hating Radical Left Judge, who may be crazy.”
