Former President Donald Trump reportedly stormed out of the courtroom during his ongoing civil trial in New York City Wednesday after being fined for a second time for violating a gag order.
Judge Arthur Engoron, who is presiding over the case, fined Trump $10,000 for violating a gag order preventing him from talking about the case or any person involved, NBC News reported. The judge issued the fine after calling on Trump to testify who he was referring to when he told reporters Engoron is “a very partisan judge with a person who’s very partisan sitting alongside him, perhaps even much more partisan than he is.”
The former president said he was talking about Michael Cohen, the witness testifying on behalf of New York Attorney General Letitia James, NBC News reported. The judge suspected the comment had been directed toward his law clerk, Allison Greenfield, who the former president’s legal team has complained about.
#BREAKING from @NBCNews team inside courtroom:
“TRUMP IMMEDIATELY GETS UP AND STORMS OUT OF THE COURTROOM WITH SECRET SERVICE AGENTS CHASING AFTER HIM….COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED AND SURPRISING TO HIS OWN ATTORNEYS …COURTROOM GASPED”
— Shawn Reynolds (@ShawnReynolds_) October 25, 2023
Engoron asked Trump if he had previously referred to his law clerk as partisan, and the former president replied, “maybe” since he is “very biased,” according to the outlet. The judge did not find Trump’s testimony credible and issued the fine.
Trump then reportedly stormed out of the courtroom 45 minutes later after the judge denied a motion from his lawyers on a separate issue, NBC reported. His legal team was reportedly surprised by Trump’s abrupt exit and there were audible gasps in the courtroom. (RELATED: Trump Says Letitia James Has ‘Defrauded The Public,’ Rips $18 Million Mar-A-Lago Valuation)
“The witness just admitted that we won the trial and the judge should end this trial immediately. Thank you,” Trump said as he left the courtroom.
Engoron fined Trump $5,000 and threatened jail time during an Oct. 20 hearing after Trump did not delete a Truth Social post criticizing Greenfield several days after Engoron issued the gag order. The former president accused Greenfield of being romantically involved with Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and posted a photograph of the two.
The New York attorney general is seeking $250 million in damages over allegations that Trump and his business associates, including family members, committed fraud by overvaluing Trump’s properties and wealth.