'Leave my children alone': Donald Trump hits Judge Engoron over family's testimony

NEW YORK−Donald Trump is not attending his civil trial to watch his sons testify, but he did leave a parting rhetorical gift Wednesday to the judge: A lengthy and angry attack on social media.

"Leave my children alone, Engoron," Trump said during a series of Truth Social posts attacking the judge presiding over the ongoing bank fraud trial. "You are a disgrace to the legal profession!"

New York state judge Arthur Engoron had nothing to do with upcoming testimony by Donald Trump, Jr., and Eric Trump. They are co-defendants in the case, and were subpoenaed by the New York Attorney General's office.

Donald Trump, Jr., was scheduled to take the stand Wednesday. He will be followed later in the week by Eric Trump.

All members of the Trump family have denied Attorney General Letitia James' claims that they inflated the values of their properties in order to obtain favorable bank loans and insurance coverage.

Judge Engoron has already ruled in James' favor on most of her allegations. Most of the current trial is to determine damages that could add up to millions in fines and loss of Trump property.

The judge did order Ivanka Trump to testify, refusing her request to quash her subpoena.

An appeals court had dropped Ivanka from the case, saying the claims against her happened too many years ago; Engoron ruled that she has to testify anyway because she still has business interests in New York.

Ivanka is scheduled to testify Wednesday, Nov. 8.

The former president himself, who flew to Texas on Wednesday ahead of a campaign event in Houston on Thursday, is scheduled to testify at the civil trial on Monday.

In three Truth Social posts early Wednesday, Trump attacked Engoron's performance in the trial, and called the entire thing politically motivated.

Trump, who also faces up to four criminal trials in the 2024 campaign year, claimed that "I’m being 'railroaded' at a level never seen before."

So far, Engoron has fined Trump a total of $15,000 for violations of a limited gag order in the case.

The latest attacks aren't likely to draw more fines: The gag order applies to attacks on members of the court staff, not the judge himself.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Leave my children alone': Trump hits judge over family testimony