Former United States President Donald Trump, with lawyers Alina Habba, Clifford Robert, and Christopher Kise, attends the closing arguments in the Trump Organization civil fraud trial at New York State Supreme Court in the Manhattan borough of New York City, US, January 11, 2024. REUTERS/Shannon Stapleton
NEW YORK 鈥� Donald Trump on Thursday accused the New York judge in his civil fraud trial of 鈥渉aving your own agenda鈥� 鈥� and the judge told his lawyer to control his client 鈥� as a months-long case that could hobble the former US president鈥檚 business empire came to an end.
During a contentious final day of the trial in Manhattan, Trump once again tangled with Justice Arthur Engoron, who is considering what penalties to impose after earlier finding that Trump鈥檚 company inflated his net worth to win better financing terms. The judge, deciding the case without a jury, said he hoped to issue a ruling by Jan. 31.
鈥淵ou have your own agenda. I understand that you can鈥檛 listen for more than one minute,鈥� Trump told Engoron in court as he denied wrongdoing and repeated claims of political persecution.
Trump鈥檚 legal team and the office of New York Attorney General Letitia James delivered closing arguments in a case accusing him of inflating his net worth to dupe banks. Kevin Wallace, a lawyer from her office, said Trump鈥檚 company issued false financial statements every year between 2011 and 2021.
鈥淔raud was central to the operation of the Trump Organization鈥檚 activities,鈥� Wallace told the judge.
James is seeking nearly $370 million and a lifetime ban on Trump from the state鈥檚 real estate industry.
Andrew Amer, an attorney for the state, said Trump鈥檚 financial statements from before he became president clearly showed he was responsible for their contents.
鈥淭he buck stopped with him,鈥� Amer said.
READ: Trump civil fraud trial testimony wraps up, verdict likely in early 2024
Trump, who served as president from 2017-2021, is now the frontrunner for the Republican nomination to challenge Democratic President Joe Biden in the November US election. Republican voters in Iowa and New Hampshire will be the first to decide their preferred party nominee this month.
The closing arguments took place in an atmosphere of heightened security after media outlets reported a bomb threat at Engoron鈥檚 suburban home. The judge has been a frequent target of Trump鈥檚 criticism, and the two clashed repeatedly on Thursday.
鈥淧lease control your client,鈥� the judge at one point told Trump鈥檚 lawyer, Christopher Kise.
Engoron earlier reacted skeptically to Kise鈥檚 argument that Trump should not be penalized for allegedly manipulating the value of his properties because lenders and insurers that did business with him still turned a profit.
鈥淭here does not have to be any evidence of harm,鈥� Engoron said.
Trump separately has pleaded not guilty in four criminal prosecutions, including two charging him with unlawfully trying to overturn his 2020 election loss to Biden. All could go to trial before the election.
鈥楢 manufactured claim鈥�
The judge found Trump liable for fraud in September, leaving the trial to focus largely on how much money he should surrender as ill-gotten gains. Trump has appealed that order and is almost certain to appeal any verdict against him.
READ: Trump says won鈥檛 testify again at fraud trial, has nothing more to say
Throughout the trial that began with opening statements on Oct. 2, the state鈥檚 lawyers sought to show that Trump consistently overstated the value of many of the towers, golf clubs, and other assets that burnished his reputation as a business mogul before he entered politics.
鈥淭his entire case is a manufactured claim to pursue a political agenda,鈥� Kise argued on Thursday as Trump watched from the defense table. 鈥淚t has always been press releases and posturing, but no proof at all.鈥�
Trump admitted to providing inaccurate property valuations during testimony in November. But Kise said on Thursday that any alleged manipulation was harmless. Kise said banks and insurers would have been eager to do business with Trump even if his net worth was far lower.
鈥淗e鈥檚 a whale client,鈥� Kise said.
Clifford Robert, a lawyer for Trump鈥檚 adult children, Donald Jr. and Eric, who are also defendants, told the judge there was no evidence they were significantly involved in the financial statements.
鈥淭his is a press release wrapped up in a lawsuit,鈥� Robert said of the attorney general鈥檚 case.
Security has been an issue throughout the months-long trial. Engoron鈥檚 top staffer faced threats after Trump criticized her as politically biased, prompting the judge to issue a gag order barring him from disparaging court staff. The judge has fined Trump $15,000 for twice violating the order.
As James arrived at the courthouse, onlookers cheered and chanted, 鈥淭hank you, James.鈥� Police stood guard and tightly controlled entrances to the building.
Trump held a news conference at one of the buildings he owns, accusing Biden, without offering evidence, of orchestrating the lawsuits and criminal cases against him.
鈥淚鈥檓 going to go to all of my trials,鈥� Trump said. 鈥淭his is their new form of cheating.鈥� Supporters chanted his name as he left.