Trump RETURNS to court with aide Margo Martin before his bombshell defense testimony in New York fraud trial: Ex-president calls Letitia James ‘bats*** crazy’ and the judge crooked as he arrives in Manhattan
- The former president returned to watch his $250 million fraud trial.
- He is expected to testify on Monday.
- He attacked the judge and the state attorney general from inside the courthouse.
Former President Donald Trump returned to the Manhattan courthouse for one last look at the site as his lawyers wrapped up his defense ahead of high-profile testimony expected Monday.
Trump left Trump Tower on Thursday morning, skipping Wednesday night’s primetime presidential debate in Alabama, and headed to the courthouse, where he made another speech about the case against him.
He was accompanied by longtime aide and former White House official Margot Martin, who could be seen near the motorcade with her cellphone on.
Trump, who was again restrained by a judge, attacked New York Attorney General Letitia James and called Judge Arthur Engoron, who is presiding over the trial, a “fraud.”
Former President Donald Trump is back in court in Manhattan for his fraud trial.
The gag, upheld by the appeals court, bars him from attacking court staff such as Chief Clerk Engoron after Trump repeatedly accused her of controlling the judge and posted a link to her Instagram page.
“Going on a witch hunt with a crooked judge and bats… this is INSANE (and racist!) AG,” Trump wrote. “This case was decided against me before it even started. WE WON AT THE APPEAL DIVISION, BUT THE POLITICAL AND DISRESPECTFUL JUDGE ENGORON REFUSES TO FOLLOW THEIR ORDER!’ Trump announced this on his website Truth Social.
Trump last appeared in court a month ago. Since then, key Trump Organization witnesses have emerged at the trial, where prosecutors accuse Trump and his company of inflating real estate values to secure loans and avoid taxes.
His comments, which led to the gag order, were made at the courthouse, where media and camera crews lined up to film his comments as he appeared.
Trump skipped Wednesday’s presidential debate. He burst into Judge Arthur Engoron from the courthouse.
Trump aide Margot Martin accompanied him to court
On Thursday, Trump again attacked Attorney General Letitia James, calling her “crazy” and “crazy” in the courtroom.
Trump was accompanied by lawyers Alina Habba (right), Chris Kays (left) and Clifford Robert (not photo).
On Thursday, Trump criticized the judge and attorney general but did not single out members of his team as he has done in the past.
Trump called state attorney general ‘crazy’ and ‘crazy’
“We didn’t do anything wrong. There were no casualties. The bank loved us,” Trump said Thursday, calling James “crazy” and “crazy” while accusing her of violent crimes in New York, with his lawyer Alina Habba standing behind him.
He stared again as photographers and videographers captured the brief moment in the courtroom.
Trump called the case a “witch hunt” and called it a “very corrupt process.” Engoron has already found him responsible for fraud in a civil case.
Trump’s lawyers are preparing to call Eli Bartov, an accounting professor at New York University, as a witness to talk about property and financial reporting valuations that are key to the case.