Donald Trump testifies in fraud trial, erupting at judge, prosecutor. What you missed.

NEW YORK − Donald Trump wrapped up a day of fiery testimony in a Manhattan courtroom, as he fought what he calls the "corporate death penalty" for his namesake real-estate company.

In a day of drama that included table banging, demands to "control" the former president, and a declaration from the state attorney general that "I will not be bullied, I will not be harassed," the two sides sparred in a civil fraud trial with $250 million in damages and the future of Trump's New York state business on the line.

The judge, Arthur Engoron, has already ruled that Trump, his sons Eric and Donald Trump Jr., a pair of Trump executives and the umbrella Trump Organization committed years of fraud by overvaluing real estate for better terms on loans and insurance.

Trump entered the courtroom aiming to save his iconic company -- and score political points. The 2024 Republican presidential frontrunner has described the trial as a "witch hunt" by New York Attorney General Letitia James and Judge Engoron, who are both elected Democrats.

“He called me a fraud, and he didn’t know anything about me!” the celebrity former president complained of Engoron from the stand on Monday.

“You believed this political hack,” Trump told Engoron in one of many swipes at the state attorney general.

Early in the day, Engoron, exasperated by Trump's rambling, combative answers, threatened to excuse the former president as a witness -- potentially harming the defense case -- if Trump lawyer Chris Kise wasn’t able to rein his client in.

“I beseech you to control him if you can,” Engoron said.

'I will not be bullied. I will not be harassed.'

James, the New York attorney general, said Trump offered distractions in his testimony without refuting the documentary evidence.

“He rambled, he hurled insults, but we expected that,” James said. “The documentary evidence demonstrated that in fact he falsely inflated his assets to basically enrich himself and his family.”

Ivanka Trump is scheduled to testify Wednesday, after which the government will close its case, James said. Government lawyers will argue motions on Thursday. Then the defense will present their case.

“I will not be bullied,” she said. “I will not be harassed.”

–Bart Jansen

Trump blasts fraud trial as he leaves courtroom

Trump blasted key witness Michael Cohen, his former lawyer and fixer, and said the fraud case should have never been brought.

“This is a case that should have never been brought and it’s a case that now should be dismissed,” Trump told reporters outside the courtroom. “Everything we did was absolutely right.”

Trump complained the trial has gone on for weeks with no solid evidence against him. He argued that Cohen acknowledged that he lied and “has absolutely no credibility whatsoever.”

“I think it’s a disgrace,” Trump said.

–Bart Jansen

Trump testimony ends; no questions from his defense team

Attorneys for the state ended its questioning of Trump with questions about whether he planned to change things in his business operations. Asked whether he planned to hire a chief compliance officer, Trump said, “It hasn’t been recommended.” Asked whether he has hired a new chief financial officer, he said, “I don’t know” and the question would have to be asked to his sons.

Trump’s defense team had no questions for him.

-Aysha Bagchi

Trump defends former CFO who pleaded guilty to tax crime

New York counsel Kevin Wallace asked Trump whether the fact that former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg pleaded guilty to tax fraud caused Trump to change his opinion about the work Weisselberg did. Trump responded that people went after Weisselberg because Weisselberg worked for Trump. “He did a good job for me for a long time,” Trump said.

-Aysha Bagchi

Trump: loans were repaid, and there wasn’t a victim

The state has cited has put a series of loan documents as evidence and showed Trump requirements he agreed to satisfy in order to get loans, such as maintaining a minimum net worth and submitting financial statements that are accurate in all material ways.

Trump repeatedly said he believes he met those requirements and added that he paid back the underlying loans. “Did you get any questions from the bank? I don’t think so,” Trump said.

-Aysha Bagchi

'I was yelled at': Trump lawyer complains over judge 'slamming a table'

As Trump testifies, he and his team are engaged in a furious public relations battle with the judge and the attorney general.

In public statements and social media posts, Trump allies are focused on Judge Engoron, who has admonished the former president and his lawyers for inappropriate behavior in the courtroom.

“I was told to sit down today," said Trump attorney Alina Habba to reporters outside the courthouse. "I was yelled at. And I’ve had a judge who was unhinged slamming a table."

Engoron is restricted from defending himself, but Attorney General James - another Trump target - is speaking out about the Trump attacks.

"Donald Trump resorted to bullying and name calling, he gave rambling answers and hurled insults from the witness stand to distract from the truth," James said on X (formerly Twitter). "But make no mistake, he committed fraud. Numbers and facts don't lie."

-- David Jackson

Testimony resumes with look at loan agreement

Donald Trump is back on the witness stand after a lunch break in his civil fraud case.

New York counsel Kevin Wallace opens the new session by asking Trump about a loan agreement with Deutsche Bank. New York has accused Trump and others of using fraudulent financial statements to secure better loan terms.

-Aysha Bagchi

Lunch break in Trump testimony

After a heated morning of testimony, court proceedings have been halted for lunch. Donald Trump’s testimony will start back up at 2:15pm.

-Aysha Bagchi

‘You done?'

Trump lashed out at the judge’s ruling in September that said he and others fraudulently inflated the value of his assets and that certain entities will lose their New York business certificates. “He called me a fraud, and he didn’t know anything about me!” Trump said.

Eventually, New York counsel Kevin Wallace asked, “You done?”

“No,” Trump responded.

-Aysha Bagchi

Trump's combative testimony: A preview of his future trials?

In protesting from the stand that this trial is political, Trump is probably offering a preview of things to come: His upcoming criminal trials.

While Judge Engoron admonished that "this is not a political rally," legal analysts said Trump and his attorneys are trying to do just that; they may well try to make political rallies out of Trump's future trials over 2020 election fraud, hush money, and mishandling of classified documents.

Said national security attorney Bradley P. Moss: "If the Trump lawyers are having these many issues in a civil trial, imagine how they’re going to handle a criminal one."

-- David Jackson

Trump's combative testimony: A preview of his future trials?

In protesting from the stand that this trial is political, Trump is probably offering a preview of things to come: His upcoming criminal trials.

While Judge Engoron admonished that "this is not a political rally," legal analysts said Trump and his attorneys are trying to do just that; they may well try to make political rallies out of Trump's future trials over 2020 election fraud, hush money, and mishandling of classified documents.

Said national security attorney Bradley P. Moss: "If the Trump lawyers are having these many issues in a civil trial, imagine how they’re going to handle a criminal one."

-David Jackson

Going through the finances

After about an hour of fiery exchanges, Trump's testimony has simmered down into a dry discussion of finances.

New York counsel Kevin Wallace has been asking the former president about specific property values, including that of Trump’s famous Mar-a-Lago club in Florida -- his current residence.

In its lawsuit, the attorney general's office has said the club was valued as high as $739 million based on the “false premise” that it was unrestricted and could be developed and sold for residential use, despite Trump having donated those residential development rights and despite restrictions on changes to the property. In reality, the suit alleged, the club generated less than $25 million a year and should have been valued closer to $75 million, nearly ten times less than the value claimed by Trump.

In court, Trump said he believes the value of the club is somewhere between $1 billion and $1.5 billion.

-Aysha Bagchi

Trump's approach: 'This trial is ridiculous'

Is Trump trying to turn this trial into a political spectacle?

Sure looks like it.

During a break in his contentious testimony, Trump took to social media to tell supporters he is not apologizing for his aggressive anti-court testimony.

"THIS TRIAL IS RIDICULOUS, ELECTION INTERFERENCE!!" Trump said in an all-caps post.

-David Jackson

'Control him!'

Judge Arthur Engoron has continued to complain that Trump is giving broad, editorializing answers that aren’t focused on the state’s questions. “I beseech you to control him if you can,” Engoron told Trump lawyer Chris Kise. Engoron says if Kise can’t control his own client, the judge will do it by excusing Trump and drawing negative inferences against the former president.

Kise said the most efficient way to get through the testimony is to listen to what Trump has to say, although he added that he is happy to talk to his client about making the answers more contained. Trump attorney Alina Habba also rose to defend the former president, telling Engoron that Kevin Wallace, senior enforcement counsel at the attorney general's office, wasn't asking Trump succinct questions. Habba then drew Engoron’s ire by telling the judge his role was to listen to what Trump has to say. Engoron told her to sit down.

“This is a very unfair trial,” Trump said. “I hope the public is watching.”

After more back-and-forth between James' team and Trump, the attorney general's office suggested taking a break to give Kise a chance to advise his client. Trump and his legal team have exited the courtroom.

-- Aysha Bagchi

Trump raises campaign funds off trial appearance

Trump sent an email solicitation Monday to his supporters based on his appearance at his civil fraud trial, arguing he shouldn’t have to spend a day in court for the “sham trial” during the presidential campaign.

“We are watching the ruling party weaponize the legal system to try and destroy its leading opponent by any means possible – whether that be removing my name from the ballot, financial ruin, or even imprisonment,” Trump said. “This is how dictatorships are born.”

–Bart Jansen

Trump comes out swinging

Former president Donald Trump hasn’t held back as his testimony has gotten underway.

He has responded broadly to questions from New York counsel Kevin Wallace, arguing that his financial statements undervalued his assets and didn’t reflect the value of his brand. “I became president because of my brand,” Trump said. He also said he doesn’t believe any developer has done a statement so thorough or that low-balled the value of assets so much.Judge Engoron has spoken up repeatedly already about restricting Trump’s answers to the question asked. “This is a courtroom,” Engoron said, adding that he doesn’t want the witness editorializing.

-- Aysha Bagchi

'Crazy trial,' Trump says of proceedings

Responding to one of the state's opening questions, Donald Trump described the ongoing proceedings as a "crazy trial." The judge instructed the former president to restrict his testimony to the question asked.

However, it doesn't take long for Trump to add more personal commentary, arguing that New York has missed its deadline for bringing a legal claim but "I'm sure the judge will rule against me, because he always rules against me." The judge then asked a Trump attorney whether that comment was necessary.

--Aysha Bagchi

Trump takes witness stand, calls his son a 'very honorable guy' who is 'smart'

The New York Attorney General's Office called Donald Trump to the stand.

He was sworn in and took a seat next to the judge. He is being questioned about his role in the Trump Organization and the appointment of his son, Donald Trump Jr., as well as former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg as trustees of a trust set up for the benefit the former president. Asked why he appointed his son, the former president says Don Jr. is "smart" and a "very honorable guy."

The trust features heavily in the state's lawsuit against Trump and associates. Trump or the trustees have submitted and certified the accuracy of financial statements that fraudulently inflated the value of Trump's assets, according to the state.

-- Aysha Bagchi

Donald Trump gives pre-trial campaign speech

Before his testimony, Trump gave campaign-style remarks to reporters, citing President Biden's bad poll numbers as well as crises in the Middle East and Ukraine - all while he is standing trial.

"This is really election interference," the 2024 Republican candidate said. "It's a terrible, terrible thing ... Very unfair."

-David Jackson

James: Trump's 'name-calling' and 'race-baiting' don't change the facts

James stopped by to talk to television cameras before Trump's testimony, and predicted that the former president will engage in "name calling," "taunts," and "race-baiting."

None of it matters, she said, because the facts show that he intentionally inflated the value of his assets in order to obtain favorable bank loans.

Numbers, she said, "don't lie."

--David Jackson

Trump arrives at the courthouse

The former president is running a little early - his motorcade arrived at the New York courthouse at around 9:25 a.m., 20 minutes ahead of schedule.

Waiting for Trump comments to reporters, if any.

-David Jackson

NY AG James: Trump ‘repeatedly and consistently lied’ about his real estate

Trump wasn’t the only one commenting on the case on social media. James, New York’s attorney general who sued him, posted Monday that Trump “lied” about the value of real estate to enrich himself.

“He has repeatedly and consistently lied about the value of his assets to fraudulently enrich himself and his family,” James said in the post on X, formerly known as Twitter. “Donald Trump might lie, but the facts and the numbers don’t.”

James told reporters outside the courthouse that she expected Trump to engage in name-calling and race-baiting.

“I am confident he will engage in name-calling and taunts and race-baiting and call this a witch hunt,” James said. “But at the end of the day, the only thing that matters are the facts and the numbers. And numbers, my friends, don’t lie.”

--Bart Jansen

Trump likely to speak publicly before and after his testimony

Expect the former president to appeal to the court of public opinion.

Trump has set aside time to speak with reporters before and after his court session, according to a schedule provided by his campaign.

Having spent the night at Trump Tower, the ex-president's motorcade is scheduled to arrive at the courthouse around 9:45 a.m., the schedule said.

Sometime after 4:30 p.m., Trump is scheduled to depart the courthouse for the airport and a flight to his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Fla.

Along with his testimony, Trump is planning a political rally in the Miami area on Wednesday night, opposite the third debate among his Republican campaign rivals.

– David Jackson

Trump: 'A dark day for our Country'

Trump got an early pre-testimony start on attacking the fraud case against him, taking to social media to claim the whole thing is politics.

In a Truth Social post, Trump also claimed, falsely, that President Joe Biden is behind the New York-based civil trial against him – never mind that the New York attorney general began her investigation before Biden's election in 2020.

"A dark day for our Country," Trump said. "WITCH HUNT!"

--David Jackson  

When does Trump testify?

The trial resumes at 10 a.m., with Trump set to be the first witness.

During the the first month of the trial, Engoron typically allowed videographers and photographers into the courtroom to chronicle the scene, with prosecutors, defense lawyers and defendants at their respective tables. Engoron typically invites everyone to look their best for the cameras.

Engoron has also occasionally opened the day with housekeeping measures, including his concerns about potential violations of his restrictions against Trump commenting on court staffers. Engoron has fined Trump $15,000 for two violations of the gag order through comments about his clerk, Allison Greenfield.

Engoron on Friday expanded the gag order to cover Trump's defense team.

Will Trump's fraud trial be televised?

The trial is not televised. Despite allowing photographers in at the start of each day, Engoron didn't allow video cameras to record the court proceedings.

His decision came in contrast to a Georgia election racketeering case against Trump and 18 co-defendants. Cameras have streamed pretrial hearings and guilty pleas of several co-defendants in Fulton County Superior Judge Scott McAfee's courtroom.

What is the Trump New York trial about?

In September, Engoron ruled that Trump and other defendants in the case had fraudulently inflated the value of billions of dollars in assets, and he said that certain entities tied to them will lose their New York business certificates – a finding Trump called “the corporate death penalty.” The judge also imposed sanctions on Trump’s defense attorneys for repeatedly advancing "bogus arguments," such as the defense notion that square footage is subjective.

But Engoron’s September bombshell only addressed a portion of James’ 222-page legal complaint accusing Trump and others of persistent and repeated fraud.

The trial is addressing several allegations, including that Trump, his adult sons, and the Trump Organization executives falsified corporate financial statements and committed insurance fraud. The testimony will also inform Engoron’s decision about what further punishment, if any, to impose.

Fantasy World?:'Fantasy world': Donald Trump faces New York trial Monday for damages after judge finds fraud in real estate empire

What penalties are at stake in Trump's civil fraud trial?

James, New York's attorney general, seeks to permanently block Trump and his two oldest sons from running a New York business and to impose a five-year ban on the father and the Trump Organization from buying New York real estate or applying for loans from banks in the state.

The attorney general’s office has asked Engoron to force the defendants to forfeit any profits stemming from the alleged fraud − a penalty that could reach a quarter billion dollars.

Trump’s eldest daughter − and former top White House advisor − Ivanka Trump was initially a defendant in James’ lawsuit, but a New York appeals court tossed out the case against her, finding too much time had passed since her involvement in the Trump Organization. That hasn't meant Ivanka can avoid testifying: Engoron rejected her challenge to a state subpoena, and she is slated to take the stand Wednesday.

What happened with Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump?

Questioning of Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump last week focused on what they knew about alleged misrepresentations in their father's financial statements, which the state says were used to get bank loans on fraudulent terms. The brothers have been closely involved in their father's business operations for many years.

Both of the brothers denied having close knowledge of the financial statements, blaming company accountants for any discrepancies.

Last week, Trump said on social media that his sons were "PERSECUTED in a political Witch Hunt by this out of control, publicity seeking, New York State Judge."

Eric Trump’s testimony on Friday was overshadowed by the controversy over defense attacks on Engoron’s principal law clerk, Allison Greenfield, with whom Engoron sometimes passes notes on the bench. Last month, Trump said on social media that Greenfield “is running this case against me,” prompting Engoron to issue his initial gag order.

On Friday, Trump lawyer Christopher Kise complained that the exchanges created a “perception of bias.”

“Since the commencement of this bench trial, my chambers have been inundated with hundreds of harassing and threating phone calls, voicemails, emails, letters, and packages,” the judge wrote in his Friday order. “The First Amendment right of defendants and their attorneys to comment on my staff is far and away outweighed by the need to protect them from threats and physical harm.”

Engoron’s gag order doesn’t extend to the judge himself, who Trump has called a "partisan political hack" and a "radical Trump hater."

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Donald Trump testifies in New York fraud trial. What you missed.