Former President Donald Trump voluntarily attended the first few days of his New York civil fraud trial, but he'd apparently had enough by Day 3 of the proceedings and angrily left the courthouse midway through the day on Wednesday, according to Business Insider.
Trump, who has been highly critical of the entire affair thus far, with a particular animus toward New York Attorney General Letitia James and New York Justice Arthur Engoron, will eventually return at some point to take the stand and testify in his own defense.
James, who is seeking to financially cripple Trump's business empire over allegations of fraudulent practices, took a shot at the former president after he left the courthouse Wednesday when she triumphantly declared, "The Donald Trump Show is over."
Former President Trump was in attendance at the Manhattan courtroom of Judge Engoron on Monday, Tuesday, and part of Wednesday to observe first-hand what he repeatedly disparaged as a "disgrace" of a trial, and he used every opportunity before, during, and after the proceedings to rail against the overtly partisan attorney general and judge, both of whom he asserted should be disbarred.
He also let loose on some of the other individuals associated with the case, and was particularly critical of Engoron's chief law clerk and her apparant bias against him, which earned Trump a limited gag order from the outraged judge on Tuesday, according to Politico.
"Personal attacks on members of my court staff are unacceptable, inappropriate, and I will not tolerate them in any circumstances," Engoron stated from the bench. "Consider this statement a gag order forbidding all parties from posting, emailing, or speaking publicly about any of my staff. Failure to abide by this order will result in serious sanctions."
Trump did delete a social media post about the clerk and has refrained from further mention of her, though he has continued to slam the judge and the "racist" attorney general who leveled disputed and unproven allegations of widespread fraud involving Trump, his adult sons, the Trump Organization, and its top executives.
AG James, who is seeking not only $250 million in damages but also the revocation of all certificates necessary to do business in New York and the dissolution of all of the former president's assets, entities, and properties in the state, took a mocking parting shot at Trump after he left the trial midway through Wednesday's proceedings, according to CNBC.
James, who said Trump's voluntary attendance at the trial was a "fundraising stop" and "political stunt," ironically proclaimed, "I will not be bullied," and condemned Trump for his "comments that unfortunately fomented violence, or comments that I would describe as race-baiting."
"This case was brought simply because it was a case where individuals have engaged in a pattern and practice of fraud," she continued, "and I will not sit idly by and allow anyone to subvert the law."
"So Mr. Trump is no longer here," James added. "The Donald Trump show is over. This was nothing more than a political stunt."
Business Insider noted that former President Trump, as he prepared to leave the courthouse Wednesday afternoon, lamented to reporters that he'd rather be out on the campaign trail but felt like he was stuck there having to guard against a "corrupt" Democratic attorney general and judge who appeared singularly focused on utterly destroying his business and real estate empire.
When asked by a reporter why he was attending the proceedings if he'd rather be elsewhere, Trump retorted, "I want to point it out to the press how corrupt it is because no one else is able to do it."
It is unclear when, exactly, Trump will return in the coming weeks to testify during this trial, which is anticipated to stretch into December, according to the judge's scheduling.
