The judge in former President Donald Trump’s New York fraud trial has barred him from speaking in his own defense during closing arguments later this week.
The former president, 77, is a defendant in the case brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James.
His business empire in New York is on the line, and James has asked for his business to be fined $370 million for inflating property prices to get favorable loan deals.
An attorney for Trump informed Judge Arthur Engoron earlier this week that the ex-president wished to speak during the closing arguments and Engoron initially approved the plan, The Associated Press reported.
Now Engoron has rescinded the move, even though Trump is still expected to appear.
A federal judge has rejected Donald Trump’s bid to speak in his own defense in the closing arguments of the blockbuster New York fraud trial
It’s extremely unusual for defendants who have lawyers to speak on their own behalf.
Engoron agreed to the move but set boundaries, saying he was inclined to ‘let everyone have his or her say.’
The judge then said that Trump would have to stick to what attorneys say in closing arguments, which includes ‘commentary on the relevant, material facts that are in evidence, and application of the relevant law to those facts.’
The former president would not be allowed to ‘comment on irrelevant matters’ or ‘deliver a campaign speech.’
He also wouldn’t be allowed to criticize the judge, his staff, Attorney General James, her lawyers or the court system, Engoron wrote, according to the AP.
Trump’s attorney Christopher Kise told Engoron that those limitations were unfair and the ex-president could not agree to them.
This prompted Engoron to put a stop to Trump’s plan.
Trump has been extremely critical of the players in this case.
On Friday, after James asked Engoron to have him pay $370 million – up from $250 million – Trump hammered the decision while on the campaign trail Friday night in Sioux Center, Iowa.
‘So if you don’t mind, I was a little bit angry when I walked in. Did you notice the anger? Maybe not. But the corrupt AG wants $370 million for a fee for what I did and I did nothing wrong. Nothing,’ Trump said. ‘This is weaponization at a level that nobody’s ever seen.’
Later, at his second rally in Mason City, Iowa, Trump picked on James again, but this time called her a ‘big slob in New York.’
Trump is prohibited from trashing court staff in the case, due to a gag order that was upheld by a A New York state appeals court in mid-December, after he posted a picture of Engoron’s law clerk posing with Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and falsely claimed she was Schumer’s ‘girlfriend.’
Thursday’s court appearance will mark the second time Trump has had to leave the presidential campaign trail to deal with his legal drama ahead of the first 2024 contest, Monday’s Iowa caucuses.
On Tuesday, Trump returned to Washington, D.C. for a hearing as he tries to get immunity from charges stemming from special counsel Jack Smith’s probe related to 2020 election interference and January 6.
He’s expected back in Des Moines Wednesday to participate in a Fox News town hall, which is taking place the same time as CNN’s Republican presidential debate, which will only feature two GOP presidential candidates, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and U.N. Amb. Nikki Haley.
Trump has skipped all the Republican debates as he is leading his rivals by around 50 points nationally.