Introduction

Former President Donald Trump expressed his outrage towards the judge presiding over his $250 million New York fraud trial. This outburst came shortly after he stormed out of the courtroom during witness testimony.

Trump took to the social media platform Truth Social to voice his concerns about the trial, following a day filled with dramatic events. Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Arthur Engoron fined Trump $10,000 for violating a gag order and denied his request for a favorable verdict.

As Trump faces mounting legal challenges, his options are limited due to gag orders imposed in two separate cases, including one brought by special counsel Jack Smith regarding the 2020 presidential election.

Trump’s Frustrations and Attacks

Unable to freely target Smith or potential witnesses in the federal case, Trump took to social media to vent his frustrations. Last week, when the restrictions were briefly lifted, he launched attacks against both the special counsel and his former chief of staff, Mark Meadows.

In the New York civil fraud case, Judge Engoron has repeatedly ruled that Trump violated the gag order by attacking the judge’s staff. These violations have already resulted in a total of $15,000 in fines, with the judge warning of more severe consequences, potentially including imprisonment.

Trump’s attacks against Engoron and other individuals involved in the case intensified, with the former president labeling the judge as “tyrannical and unhinged” and a “fully biased Trump Hater.” In addition to Engoron, Trump targeted New York Attorney General Letitia James, his former attorney Michael Cohen, and a reporter from The New York Times.

Campaign Response and Allegations

Capitalizing on the trial, Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign criticized it in multiple fundraising appeals, referring to it as a “sham trial” led by a “Democrat judge” who continues to harass Trump.

In the ongoing trial, Engoron has already determined that Trump and other defendants fraudulently inflated property and asset values on financial statements. James accuses Trump, his sons, the Trump Organization, and top executives of falsifying these values to gain tax benefits and more favorable loan terms.

The trial will also address six other claims in James’ lawsuit, with Engoron himself delivering the verdicts. Notably, the trial is being conducted without a jury, which Trump frequently protests on social media and at the courthouse.

Trump’s Disdain for Engoron

Trump launched scathing attacks against Engoron, describing him as a judge who had already found him guilty before the trial began. He further referred to Engoron as a “Radical Left Judge” and accused him of ignoring a prior appeals court ruling.

The appeals court panel had denied Trump’s request to delay the trial, allowing it to proceed. Engoron imposed a gag order on Trump when he attacked the judge’s law clerk, which Trump subsequently violated by not removing the post from his campaign website. Engoron fined him $5,000 for this violation.

In a brief moment during a trial break, Trump attempted to clarify his previous remarks about Engoron but was found unconvincing. As a result, Engoron fined him an additional $10,000.

Trump expressed disappointment at Engoron’s refusal to dismiss the case and accused the judge of being highly political and biased against him.