Trump slams 'mean and nasty' fraud trial judge as he heads to NY court: Live – The Independent

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in
Former president accuses Justice Arthur Engoron and state attorney general Letitia James of trying to ‘screw’ him ahead of Iowa caucuses
Find your bookmarks in your Independent Premium section, under my profile
Donald Trump calls civil fraud trial ‘terrible witch hunt’ ahead of closing arguments
Lawyers for Donald Trump presented closing arguments in his civil fraud trial at New York’s State Supreme Court on Thursday, calling the case against the former president and his company a “manufactured claim” to pursue “a political agenda”.
Justice Arthur Engoron, presiding over the trial, permitted Mr Trump to speak briefly at the close of the defence arguments. He was not permitted to make fuller remarks having not agreed to the judge’s rules about sticking to the facts of the case.
The former president had attacked the judge on Truth Social for not allowing him to deliver his own closing argument at today’s session.
Mr Trump said Justice Engoron was colluding with New York Attorney General Letitia James to “screw” him and accused them of “election interference” for scheduling today’s session so close to the 2024 Iowa caucuses.
In remarks outside the courtroom, the former president called the trial an “unconstitutional witch hunt” and baselessly claimed it was being conducted “in coordination with the White House and Joe Biden because he can’t win an election fairly”.
On Thursday morning, Justice Engoron’s home was “swatted”, in the latest incident of harassment against him and his staff since the trial began.
Donald Trump on Thursday refused to commit to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (Nato) if elected for a second term and accused European countries of exploiting the US on trade and strategic affairs.
“Would you be committed to Nato in second Trump term,” asked Fox News host Bret Baier during the town hall with the former Republican president.
“Depends on if they treat us properly,” he said. “Look, Nato has taken advantage of our country. The European countries… took advantage of us on trade and then they took advantage of us on military protection.”
Namita Singh reports:
Trump has complained in past about Nato members not upholding their end of financial commitment to alliance
Joe Biden has hit out at Donald Trump’s claims that he “doesn’t want to be Herbert Hoover” in a new campaign video in which he informs his predecessor that he “already is”.
Mr Biden responded to a clip of Mr Trump from earlier this week, in which the former president said he hoped the US economy crashed “in the next 12 months”.
“When there’s a crash, I hope it’s in the next 12 months because I don’t want to be Herbert Hoover,” Mr Trump said, during a Lindell TV interview with Lou Dobbs on Monday.
The comment alluded to the 31st US president, who succeeded Calvin Coolidge at the tail-end of the Roaring Twenties before swiftly being hit by the Wall Street Crash in the autumn of 1929 and then voted out of office in 1932 as the Great Depression hit.
In his own video, posted on Thursday, Mr Biden blasted Mr Trump’s own record in office.
Mike Bedigan has the story:
President was responding to a viral clip of his predecessor from earlier this week
Kentucky Republican Senator Rand Paul teased an election announcement ahead of the Iowa caucuses, as he’s set to possibly share his endorsement of one of the presidential candidates.
“I’ve stayed out of the Republican Presidential Primary so far – but I’ve seen enough. That’s why tomorrow morning I will have something important to say. Don’t miss it!” Mr Paul wrote on X on Thursday afternoon, sharing a video of himself urging his followers to “tune in tomorrow morning”.
Many Senate Republicans have been struggling with the issue of when and if to officially endorse former President Donald Trump as he looks certain to be the party’s presidential nominee again.
Gustaf Kilander has the story:
‘I’ve stayed out of the Republican Presidential primary so far – but I’ve seen enough,’ Kentucky senator says
President Joe Biden pushed home the message that reproductive rights are not safe in Republican hands as he emphasised former President Donald Trump’s comments about being “proud” to have taken down Roe v Wade.
During a town hall event in Des Moines, Iowa on Wednesday night, Mr Trump boasted about removing the constitutional right to abortion, saying, “for 54 years, they were trying to get Roe v Wade terminated. And I did it and I’m proud to have done it”.
All three of Mr Trump’s Supreme Court justices voted to overturn the landmark 1973 decision in the case Dobbs v Jackson Women’s Health Organization in June 2022.
Gustaf Kilander has the story:
‘Trump brags about overturning Roe v Wade and supports banning abortion. Biden opposes banning abortion. You will have a binary choice this November,’ California Democrat says
It’s finally here: the first test of the Republican primary field at the hands of voters.
Four prominent Republican candidates have charged into the Buckeye state hoping for different outcomes. Donald Trump, the frontrunner, wants a convincing victory to signal to voters (and donors) that the race is all but wrapped up. Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis are hoping for shock successes that will give them the momentum needed to overtake Mr Trump in later states, such as New Hampshire. And Vivek Ramaswamy is hoping for a shot of adrenaline in the heart of his struggling campaign following an unceremonious exclusion from the debate stage lineup.
Chris Christie, seeing himself wholly uncompetitive in the first contest of 2024 — and losing ground in New Hampshire — has thrown in the towel.
Political analysts hoping for clues about the trajectory of the rest of the primary, and most crucially an answer to the question of whether anyone has a chance at beating Mr Trump, are also looking at Iowa closely. Monday’s results will likely determine the fate of several candidates, while also providing a window for speculation about the general election.
Here’s what The Independent is keeping an eye on over the weekend:
GOP voters get their first crack at the 2024 field
Ron DeSantis has hit out at Donald Trump’s response to the coronavirus pandemic while in office, accusing the former president of “massive, massive gaslighting”.
The presidential hopeful said his Republican nominee rival had “dropped the ball” during what he described as “the number one crisis” that Mr Trump had faced as commander-in-chief.
Mr DeSantis faced off against Nikki Haley onstage for the final Republican debate ahead of the Iowa Caucuses, in Des Moines on Wednesday night. Mr Trump – still the clear frontrunner – once again did not participate.
Speaking to MSNBC’s Morning Joe on Thursday, Mr DeSantis discussed the debate, his standing in the polls, as well as comments previously made by Mr Trump about his handling of the coronavirus crisis.
Mike Bedigan has the story:
The presidential hopeful said his Republican nominee rival had ‘dropped the ball’ during the global pandemic
Donald Trump confirmed that he will appear at a defamation trial brought against him by author E Jean Carroll, who a jury determined was sexually assaulted by the former president during the 1990s.
Mr Trump made the announcement during a press conference after he gave the closing argument in his New York fraud trial. He said he planned to attend the defamation trial, which takes place next week on Tuesday.
“Yeah, I’m going to go to it, and I’m going to explain I don’t know who the hell she is. I have no idea,” he said.
Graig Graziosi reports:
‘I don’t know who the hell she is, I have no idea,’ Mr Trump said of Ms Carroll
Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy has announced that he has filed and amicus brief in support of former president Donald Trump’s Supreme Court case regarding the 14th Amendment.
“I filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court today arguing to overturn the Colorado decision to eliminate Trump from the GOP primary ballot. It’d be a lot easier for me if Trump weren’t in the race, but that’s not how any of us should want to win.”
Mr Ramaswamy is still in the 2024 primary race but failed to qualify for the most recent debate.
At a brief press conference on the steps of the New York State Supreme Court, Attorney General Letitia James says: “This case has never been about politics. This case is about the facts and the law.”
The personal attacks don’t bother her, she says.
The trial however has “shown the scope, scale, breadth and depth of illegality and fraud that enriched the Trump family,” she says.
“At the end of the day, the point is simple … no one is above the law. The law applies to all of us equally.”
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Former US President Donald Trump looks on in court before closing arguments in the Trump Organization civil fraud trial
EPA
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in
Log in
New to The Independent?
Or if you would prefer:
Want an ad-free experience?

source