Trump Arrives In Court For Final Day Of Fraud Trial

Topline Former President Donald Trump arrived at a Manhattan courthouse Thursday morning for closing arguments in the civil fraud trial against him and his company, wrapping months of court proceedings as the ex president faces a potential $370 million fine—and after he unsuccessfully tried to deliver closing arguments himself.

Former President Donald Trump speaks during the first day of his civil fraud trial at New York State ... [+] Supreme Court on October 2, 2023 in New York City. Key Facts New York Attorney General Letitia James’ case against Trump, his associates—including his sons—and the Trump Organization is wrapping up Thursday, which accuses Trump and his co defendants of fraudulently misstating the value of their assets on financial documents in order to obtain more favorable business deals and reflect a higher net worth for Trump.

Trump had wanted to deliver closing arguments at the trial himself, but Judge Arthur Engoron, who’s presiding over the case, rescinded his initial agreement to let Trump speak, after Trump and his attorneys failed to agree to required limitations. In emails made public by the court, Engoron told Trump’s attorney that the ex president may not use his closing arguments to “testify” or “comment on irrelevant matters,” and he “may not deliver a campaign speech, and he may not impugn [Engoron] , my staff, plaintiff, plaintiff's staff, or the New York State Court System.” Trump’s attorney also asked Engoron to delay the closing arguments because of the recent death of Melania Trump’s mother, but the judge declined to do so, citing the inconvenience such a last minute change would pose to court staff and other parties.

Trump has regularly attended the trial, which began in October and went on hiatus in December before Thursday’s closing arguments, and testified in court during the proceedings. Tangent Trump has repeatedly railed against Engoron for being purportedly biased against him, and most recently claimed on Truth Social the “Trump hating judge” was trying to “screw me” after Engoron refused to let him deliver closing arguments.

Multiple outlets report Engoron had a bomb threat called into his house Thursday morning, which the New York Times reports led to a bomb squad arriving at Engoron’s Long Island residence. A spokesperson for the court system told reporters Thursday the court had added additional safety measures for the courtroom Thursday in light of the bomb threat.

What To Watch For Engoron is expected to deliver his verdict in the case at some point after closing arguments end Thursday, likely before the end of January. 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 his businesses—up from $250 million the attorney general’s office initially requested.

James is also asking Engoron to bar Trump from the real estate industry in New York or leading any New York based companies for life, for his sons to be prohibited from running New York companies for five years, and to block the defendants from making any commercial real estate acquisitions for five years.

Engoron already found Trump and his co defendants liable for fraud before the trial began—the trial is moving forward on other allegations, like if that fraud was committed knowingly—and ordered Trump’s business certificates to be canceled, though an appeals court has put that on hold. This story is breaking and will be updated.

Further Reading Trump Fraud Trial: Here’s What We Learned From Months Of Testimony As Case Nears End (Forbes) Here’s How Much Donald Trump Is Worth (Forbes) Trump Cannot Give His Own Closing Argument At Civil Fraud Trial, Judge Rules (Forbes) Tape Of Trump Lying About Penthouse Undercuts His Court Testimony (Forbes).