President Trump Takes Witness Stand, Gets Fined $10,000

President Trump was in court on Wednesday for his civil fraud trial in New York.

Before he entered the courtroom, he briefly spoke with reporters about the Speaker of the House election and the progress of his case.

🚨BREAKING: Donald Trump speaks before heading into court pic.twitter.com/eeqYEPPT6i

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) October 25, 2023

In a surprising twist, Trump was sworn in as a witness to respond to allegations he violated the gag order against him in his fraud case by commenting about a court secretary during a break earlier in the day.

"This judge is a very partisan judge, with a person who's very partisan sitting alongside of him, perhaps even much more partisan than he is."

— Trump pic.twitter.com/gDRTvYRWQl

— Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) October 25, 2023

Immediately after Trump spoke with reporters, Judge Engoron warned Trump’s lawyers that he was in clear violation of the gag order he imposed at the very start of the trial.

Defense attorney Christopher Kise claimed that Trump was actually referring to the witness, Trump’s sworn enemy and former lawyer Michael Cohen. The judge said he’d take the matter under advisement.

However, when the trial continued after a lunch break, Engoron held a surprise hearing in which he ordered Trump to take the witness stand.

After he was sworn in as a witness, President Trump was questioned by Judge Engoron.

From The Hill:

Judge Arthur Engoron asked whether Trump made the reported comment that he is a “very partisan judge with a person who is very partisan sitting alongside him, perhaps even more partisan than he is.” Trump nodded, responding “yes.”

“To whom were you referring?” Engoron asked.

“You and Cohen,” Trump replied.

“Are you sure that you didn’t mean the person on the other side, my principal law clerk?” Engoron asked.

“Yes, I’m sure,” Trump said.

The former president, when prompted, additionally commented that he believes the judge’s clerk is “very biased against us” and explained that he took down the previous Truth Social post that sparked the gag order.

Once Trump was seated, Engoron issued his order to fine Trump $10,000 “on the liberal side.”

“As the trier of fact, I find that the witness is not credible,” Engoron said.

🚨 BREAKING: NY Judge Engoron called Donald Trump to the witness stand during his trial and fined him $10,000 for making comments that violated his gag order.

— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) October 25, 2023

President Trump wasn’t happy when he left the courtroom because Judge Engoron denied a directed verdict in his favor following blistering cross-examination of his ex-attorney Michael Cohen.

Trump’s team asked that the case be dismissed after Cohen testified in a tense cross-examination that Trump did not direct him to inflate his net worth — a direct contradiction of his previous testimony.

Judge Engoron denied the motion, prompting the former president to walk out of the courtroom with his son, Eric.

Donald Trump abruptly leaves the courtroom after Judge Engoron denies his defense’s request for a directed verdict:

“The witness just admitted that we won the trial. And the judge should end this trial immediately.” pic.twitter.com/31tyEyV7d3

— Republican Voters Against Trump (@AccountableGOP) October 25, 2023