The fraud trial against former US President Trump is currently entering the home stretch. On the last day of the trial, he was allowed to speak again – and once again used the opportunity to launch a verbal attack against the judge and prosecutor.
In the fraud trial against former US President Donald Trump in New York, he again sharply attacked the judiciary. He accused the public prosecutor of trying to prevent him from returning to the White House. “They want to make sure I never win again,” he said, referring to the November presidential election. Attorney General Letitia James hates him and Judge Arthur Engoron has “his own agenda,” complained Trump, who had previously insulted the two in and outside the courtroom several times and had already received a fine for it.
Engoron had forbidden Trump from making a closing statement, but allowed him to speak again. Trump took the opportunity to portray himself as a persecuted innocence and accused the judge of not listening to him properly. He called on Trump’s lawyers to rein in their client.
Trump had already announced in advance of the appointment that he wanted to speak out himself. Judge Engoron set conditions for this, which were then not accepted by Trump’s lawyers. Engoron had, among other things, demanded that Trump not misuse the plea as a campaign speech. During their closing arguments, Trump’s defense lawyers asked again to allow Trump to speak – Engoron granted their request.
Judgment expected by the end of the month
The civil case is currently entering the home stretch. The defense and prosecution made their closing statements. While the prosecution lawyers once again detailed the fraud allegations against Trump’s corporate empire, the Trump Organization, the defense lawyers once again denied any wrongdoing by Trump and his sons Eric and Donald Jr. The public prosecutor’s office is demanding a penalty of 370 million US dollars (around 340 million euros). T
The civil case is about the future of the 77-year-old’s corporate empire. Prosecutors accused Trump, his sons and employees of manipulating the value of the Trump Organization for years in order to obtain cheaper loans and insurance contracts. Judge Engoron had already confirmed this before the trial. The case could still go to appeal following a ruling expected by the end of the month.
Bomb threat against the judge’s house
The former president wants to be re-elected in 2024. He is the most promising candidate for the Republican nomination. According to many observers, he used the trial as election advertising and repeatedly claimed that the trial was part of a political campaign against him.
During the trial, both Trump himself and his children Eric, Donald Jr. and Ivanka were questioned. According to the responsible police authority, a few hours before the closing arguments began, there was a bomb threat against Engoron’s home outside the metropolis of New York. According to initial findings, there were no injuries or property damage. The police initially did not provide any further details.