Donald Trump Storms Out of New York City Courtroom, Faces $10,000 Fine
Former President Donald Trump made a dramatic exit from a New York City courtroom on Wednesday after a tense day filled with testimony in his $250 million state fraud case. Trump, who was called to the witness stand, was fined $10,000 for violating a gag order. The surprising departure caught both his lawyers and Secret Service agents off guard, with them scrambling to keep up. Trump later returned to the courtroom after the proceedings were over. His former lawyer, Michael Cohen, had just finished giving his contentious testimony.
Judge Arthur Engoron imposed the financial penalty after asking Trump to testify under oath about his earlier statements to reporters. Trump had claimed that the person sitting next to the judge was “very partisan.” Trump clarified that he was referring to Cohen, whom he has publicly criticized. Engoron also inquired if Trump had referred to his law clerk as “partisan.” Trump responded by saying she was “maybe unfair” and “very biased against us.”
Despite the clarification, Trump insisted that his comments regarding Engoron being a “very partisan judge with a person who’s very partisan sitting alongside him” were about Cohen. Engoron’s law clerk has been a source of complaints from Trump’s legal team, with Trump’s lawyer requesting no eye-rolling or whispers from the bench during Cohen’s questioning.
In response to Trump’s testimony, Engoron deemed it “not credible” and issued the fine for violating the gag order. Approximately 45 minutes later, Trump stormed out of the courtroom in anger after a separate motion from his lawyers was denied by Engoron. Trump claimed victory and spoke to reporters outside the courtroom, emphasizing that the trial should end immediately.
Cohen, who testified for the state attorney general’s office, stated that Trump never explicitly instructed him to inflate financial numbers. Cohen compared Trump’s behavior to that of a “mob boss” who hints at what he wants without giving direct orders. Trump’s lawyers repeatedly requested a directed verdict, which Engoron refused, stating that the case had credible evidence and would proceed.
State Attorney General Letitia James stated that Cohen is not the primary witness and that his evidence has been corroborated by additional evidence. Engoron rejected Trump’s lawyers’ request to reconsider the fine, noting that Cohen’s political leanings were not a focus during his cross-examination. The judge upheld the fine of $10,000 and warned Trump against future violations.
This is the second time that Trump has been fined for violating the gag order. The order was put in place after a social media post by Trump falsely insinuated a personal relationship between Engoron’s law clerk and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Engoron labeled the post “disparaging” and “untrue” and ordered Trump to remove it. He emphasized that personal attacks on court staff are unacceptable and will not be tolerated.
Engoron had previously fined Trump $5,000 for the violation, warning of steeper penalties for future offenses, including possible imprisonment. The trial continues with Engoron having ruled that Trump engaged in fraudulent behavior with his financial statements.
Originally published on NBCNews.com
