NEW YORK — Former President Donald Trump is back in court Wednesday morning for day three of his civil fraud trial in New York City.
On Tuesday, Trump was slapped with a partial gag order by Judge Arthur Engoron, who issued a stern warning to the former president after he posted on Truth Social slamming the judge’s principal law clerk.
He had posted a photo of her with Senator Chuck Schumer, suggesting she was his girlfriend and that it was inappropriate for her to be in the courtroom.
The judge ordered the former president to delete the post, adding that personal attacks on members of the court staff are unacceptable.
As for the trial itself, Trump is accused by New York Attorney General Letitia James of committing repeated fraud by inflating the value of his assets and net worth on financial statements.
Continuing his cross-examination of Mazars USA accountant Donald Bender, who formerly worked on Trump’s account, Trump attorney Jesus Suarez is adopting a less aggressive approach to his questioning than the theatrical approach he took yesterday.
When Justice Engoron appeared unreceptive to one part of Suarez’s questioning, Trump, sitting with his attorneys, visibility groaned.
“It’s easiest just to move on. Take a hint,” Engoron said to Suarez about one of his attempts to discredit Bender.
Trump has been conferring with his attorney Alina Habba, taking notes, reviewing documents, and even ripping up papers while seated at the counsel table during the cross-examination of Bender.
Judge Engoron last week ruled Trump did indeed commit one of the seven claims of fraud.
The former president denies all the charges.
The civil fraud case, brought by James, accuses Trump and his company of deceiving banks, insurers and others by chronically overstating his wealth by as much as $3.6 billion.
James is seeking $250 million in fines and a lifetime ban on the Trumps from doing business in New York.
Trump was under no obligation to appear and did not address the court. But he nonetheless seized the opportunity to create a media spectacle that ensured he was back in the spotlight. And he once again portrayed himself as a victim of a politicized justice system – a posture that has helped him emerge as the undisputed leader of the 2024 GOP primary.
The former president seems determined to use the trial as a campaign appearance and a fundraising tool by attacking the attorney general and the judge.
“He’s been given false information, misleading information and corrupt information by a very corrupt and incompetent attorney general, Letitia James,” Trump said. “This woman is grossly incompetent.”
The trial could last into December, Engoron said.
ABC News and The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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