Former President Donald Trump was left speechless on Monday after the judge in his ongoing civil fraud trial threatened to have him removed from the witness stand.
This came immediately following a volley of verbal jabs traded between the embattled businessman and New York Attorney General Letitia James before the trial was even called into session on Nov. 6.
Trump wasted little time in verbally prodding James, hurling insults before he even sat down in court. Outside of Room 300, where the infamous trial is taking place, Trump turned to reporters and bragged about a new poll that is projecting him as leading Biden in swing states — while also taking aim at the powerful political Brooklynite herself.
“You have a racist Attorney General who made some terrible statements,” Trump charged. “It’s a very sad situation for our country.”
James predicted the tongue-lashing, telling the press that she expected Trump to resort to personal attacks.
“Before he takes the stand, I am certain that he will engage in name calling and taunts,” James said, “but at the end of the day, the only thing that matters are the facts and the numbers don’t lie.”
Inside the court, Trump took the witness stand, where it was not business as usual for the 45th president. Under oath, Trump was grilled regarding the values of his properties, along with his role in their appraisals, yet he seemed more interested in spewing an array of unhinged rants in which he suggested that the trial served only as a political attack and eluded that the court is biased.
“They always hold up in court, except maybe in this court,” Trump said of his financial statements.
With Trump refusing to answer questions in a concise manner, Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron warned his lawyers to control their client, and threatened to remove him from the witness stand if they didn’t.
When breaking for recess, Trump was asked how the proceedings were going, prompting him to mimic zipping his lips with his fingers, indicating that he was unable to comment. Trump has already been fined several times since breaking a gag order by consistently discussing the case between sessions. However, after the back and forth, Trump was uncharacteristically silent, refusing to answer questions from reporters, responding with a simple thumbs up.
Citing an anonymous source, CNN reported that despite the confrontation with the judge, Trump’s team is happy with his testimony thus far. Public opinion appears to be swaying in the other direction. Outside the courthouse protesters unfurled a gigantic banner reading “Trump Lies all the time.”
