lawrota.com

During Donald Trump’s testimony in a civil fraud case brought by the New York attorney general’s office, the proceedings were marked by bitter exchanges and contentious interactions. Trump’s answers and outbursts led to admonishments from the judge and threats to curtail his testimony.

Trump repeatedly lost his temper and directed his ire at the judge, Justice Arthur Engoron, who is responsible for deciding the fate of Trump’s business empire. Trump accused the judge of not understanding him and suggested that the judge was influenced by political motivations, particularly in favor of the attorney general’s office.

The central issue in the trial is whether Trump inflated his assets to secure favorable terms from banks and insurers. Justice Engoron, who presides over the trial without a jury, previously ruled that Trump did indeed engage in such conduct. Consequently, the trial now focuses on determining the penalties Trump and his company will face, with the judge having the authority to make this decision.

Trump’s primary defense argument is that his financial statements contained disclaimers that cautioned against relying on them, and therefore, they were not intended for use by banks or insurers. He reiterated this defense during his testimony, but the judge refused to entertain further discussions about the disclaimers, suggesting that they were irrelevant to the case.

In response to the judge’s ruling and comments, Trump expressed disagreement and claimed that the judge had called him a fraud without understanding him. The trial is ongoing, with the judge ultimately responsible for determining the outcome.

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