Former President Donald Trump waits to take the witness stand at New York Supreme Court on Monday, Nov. 6, 2023, in New York. EDUARDO MUNOZ ALVAREZ / AP

Trump clashes with judge during testimony at New York fraud trial today

BY GRAHAM KATES, CLARE HYMES

Former President Donald Trump is on the stand in a New York courtroom Monday to testify in the fraud trial that could determine the fate of his business empire.

His early testimony was marked by Trump repeatedly straying from the questions posed by a lawyer from New York Attorney General Letitia James’ office. He also stood by various property valuations at the center of the case, defending financial statements that other co-defendants have sought to distance themselves from.

“The numbers of my net worth are substantially more than the number you have in the financial statement,” he said in one exchange. “Therefore you have no case.”

Sworn in and under oath, Trump took the opportunity to repeatedly lash out at the New York Judge Arthur Engoron, who is seated four feet to his right. Engoron is overseeing the civil case and will decide the outcome of the bench trial himself.

“I’m sure the judge will rule against me, because he always rules against me,” Trump said at one point.

As Trump repeatedly gave long-winded answers to questions about the valuations of various Trump Organization properties, Engoron’s patience wore thin. Christopher Kise, one of Trump’s attorneys, encouraged Engoron to allow Trump to give answers in his own way.

“With this witness, it’s far more efficient to listen and take it all in,” Kise said, prompting laughter from Kevin Wallace, an attorney for the state who led the questioning.

Engoron’s voice rose as his anger seemed to boil over, and his microphone struggled to handle the sudden change in volume.

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