Former President Donald Trump on Thursday launched into an extended tirade during the closing arguments in his New York fraud trial.
Trump attorney Chris Kise asked Judge Arthur Engoron to allow Trump to speak on his own behalf after the judge rescinded permission for the former president to deliver part of his closing argument because Kise objected to preconditions that Trump keep to “relevant” matters.
Engoron asked Trump if he would be willing to stick to the facts and the law but Trump launched into a rant without agreeing to the terms.
"Well I think, your honor, this case goes outside the facts," Trump said, according to ABC News. "The financial statements were perfect. The banks got all their money back. They were as happy as can be."
Trump ignored the judge’s instruction, claiming that the case is a “political witch hunt that should be set aside.”
“We should receive damages for what we've gone through,” he declared.
Trump also went after New York Attorney General Letitia James.
"I'm an innocent man. I've been persecuted by someone running for office," Trump said. "This statute is vicious. It doesn't give me a jury. It takes away my rights."
Trump referred to a key allegation in the lawsuit, that he tripled the square footage of his Trump Tower penthouse, calling it “an honest mistake.”
"This is a fraud on me. What's happened here sir is a fraud on me,” Trump claimed.
“They found nothing and now she comes in and says she wants to make a $250 million fine a [$370 million], for what!?” he continued, adding that Engoron has his own agenda.
“Haven't you been sued before? Isn’t that a problem?” Engoron asked Trump, according to NBC News.
“They should pay me for what we’ve gone through — reputation and else,” Trump said.
“Mr. Kise, please control your client,” Engoron begged, according to NBC News’ Lisa Rubin.
“But it’s too late,” Rubin tweeted. “Everything Trump wanted to say was said. And now, having said it, he has left the courtroom after insisting James should pay him for the havoc she’s wreaked on his company.”
Engoron kept his head down for the duration of Trump's outburst, according to ABC News, which added that the judge "then held up his phone screen to signal to Trump that he had run out of time for his remarks, then the judge called for a break."
