Judge Arthur Engoron, who had barred Trump from giving a closing argument Thursday morning, seized the opportunity to speak in court. The judge allowed him to continue his speech almost entirely uninterrupted for what resulted in a complete personal summation before cutting him off and calling a recess.
Trump and his co-defendants, which include both of his sons, are on trial for fraudulently misstating the value of assets on financial statements in order to obtain more favorable business deals and reflect a higher net worth for Trump.
"This is a fraud on me. What's happened here, sir, is a fraud on me," Trump said. He subsequently alleged that the judge did not pay attention to his statements. "I know this is boring to you," The Associated Press reported.
"We have a situation where I am an innocent man," Trump protested. "I'm being persecuted by someone running for office and I think you have to go outside the bounds."
Engoron had previously rescinded his initial approval for Trump to speak in court, with emails made public Wednesday showing Trump's lawyers refused to agree to terms that would prohibit Trump, as revealed in an article from Forbes, from criticizing the judge, "comment[ing] on irrelevant matters" or "deliver[ing] a campaign speech."
In the same Forbes article, Kise asked the judge if Trump could speak to the court, and while Engoron asked Trump if he promised that he would stick to the facts and the law, the ex-president began to speak without agreeing first, railing against the "political witch hunt" against him.
Engoron warned Trump's lawyer, Christopher Kise, to control his client amid the accusatory outburst.
What Would Be Trump's Punishment?
The state is asking for a range of punishments against Trump and his co-defendants, including $370 million that would be largely paid by Trump himself and up to $250 million from his businesses. Trump has claimed that he should be paid damages instead of the state seeing that he has been "politically persecuted," by New York Attorney General Letitia James, who originally brought the case against him.
The judge will issue the verdict in the coming weeks, likely before the end of January and decide punishment himself, as there is no jury in the trial.
