- The former president was back to watch his $250 million fraud trial
- He is expected to testify on Monday
- He attacked the judge and the state AG from the courthouse
Former President Donald Trump returned to a Manhattan courthouse, taking a last look at the room as his lawyers wrapped up his defense before his expected dramatic testimony Monday.
Trump left Trump Tower on Thursday morning, after skipping Wednesday night's prime-time presidential debate in Alabama, and headed to the courthouse, where he delivered another speech about the case against him.
He was accompanied by longtime aide and former White House official Margo Martin, who held up her cell phone outside his motorcade.
Trump, who is once again subject to a judge's silence order, fired off an attack on New York AG Letitia James, calling Judge Arthur Engoron, who is presiding over the trial, “crooked.”
Former President Donald Trump returned to a Manhattan court where his fraud trial is underway
The 'gag', upheld by an appeals court, bans him from attacking judicial staff such as Engoron's clerk, after Trump repeatedly accused her of controlling the judge and posted a link to her Instagram page.
“Heading to a witch hunt with a crooked judge and a bat… CRAZY (and racist!), AG,” Trump wrote. “This case was decided against me before it even started. WE WON AT THE APPELLATE DIVISION, BUT THE VERY POLITICAL AND ILLEGAL JUDGE ENGORON REFUSED TO OBSERVE THEIR ORDER!' Trump posted this on his Truth Social site.
Trump last appeared at his trial a month ago. Since then, key witnesses from the Trump Organization have appeared in a trial in which prosecutors accuse Trump and his company of inflating real estate valuations to secure loans and avoid taxes.
His comments that led to the gag order spilled into the courthouse, where media members and camera crews lined up to capture his comments when he appears.
Trump skipped Wednesday's presidential debate. He attacked Judge Arthur Engoron from the courthouse
Trump aide Margo Martin accompanied him to court
Trump attacked AG Letitia James again on Thursday, calling her “crazy” and “crazy” in court
Trump was accompanied by lawyers Alina Habba (r), Chris Kise (l) and Clifford Robert (not pictured)
Trump condemned the judge and the AG on Thursday, but did not single out his staffers as he has done in the past
Trump called State AG a 'crazy' and 'bat crazy'
'We have done nothing wrong. There were no casualties. The bank loved us,” Trump said Thursday, calling James “crazy” and “a lunatic” as he blamed her for violent crimes in New York, with his lawyer Alina Habba standing behind him.
He watched again as photographers and videographers captured a brief moment in the courtroom.
Trump called the case a “witch hunt” and called it a “highly corrupt process.” Engoron has already held him liable for fraud in the civil case.
Trump's lawyers are preparing to call Eli Bartov, an accounting professor at New York University, as a witness to speak about the real estate appraisals and financial statements key to the case.