Donald Trump harshly criticized Joe Biden, New York Attorney General Letitia James and his rape accuser E. Jean Carroll in a raucous press conference during a break in his fraud trial in Manhattan.
A crowd at the 77-year-old's Wall Street skyscraper cheered as he answered questions about Iowa, the fraud case, the prosecutions against him and the “crooked” Biden.
The former president's appearance came moments after he made a sudden statement in court, telling Judge Arthur Engoron he had done “nothing wrong” and that the city should “pay” him for what he had been through.
Engoron paused his outburst and told attorney Christopher Kise to “control his client” before Trump left.
The family business of former presidential lawyer Alina Habba Trump “single-handedly changed the skyline of New York.”
Donald Trump harshly criticized Joe Biden, New York Attorney General Letitia James and his rape accuser E. Jean Carroll in a raucous press conference during a break in his fraud trial in Manhattan
A crowd at the 77-year-old's Wall Street skyscraper cheered as he answered questions about Iowa, the fraud case, the prosecutions against him and the “crooked” Biden
Trump then laid out all the problems surrounding the $250 million fraud case, claiming the trial was unprecedented and insisting that any prosecutions against him were a ploy by Biden and the Democrats.
He also said presidents who do not enjoy full immunity would be “ineffective” when asked about his lawyers, who argued he could avoid prosecution for the assassination of a political rival.
“My legal problems, every single one of them, every single one – civil and criminal – are all handled by Joe Biden.” Crooked Joe Biden. This is something that has never happened in this country.
'It's a shame. It's a witch hunt in the truest sense of the word. It’s election interference.”
“It's all a conspiracy to put Biden in office,” he added, before then sharing a report that AG James visited the president at the White House “numerous times.”
He subsequently claimed that he had never met the writer E. Jean Carroll, who accused him of rape and sued him for libel.
“I don’t know who the hell she is,” he said, again claiming that her case against him was “very unfair.”
Trump confirmed he would take part in the libel trial of E. Jean Carroll, which is scheduled to begin next week.
Former presidential lawyer Alina Habba Trump's family business had “single-handedly changed the New York skyline” with the case that put his Big Apple business empire at risk.
The former president's appearance came moments after he made a sudden statement in court, telling Judge Arthur Engoron he had done “nothing wrong” and that the city should “pay” him for what he had been through
Trump made the comments today after his appearance before the New York Supreme Court.
Hundreds, mostly tourists, lined up at barriers to catch a glimpse of the 45th president.
Shortly before his arrival, a woman could be seen angrily shouting obscenities from a residence above the street and appearing to address people gathered below.
As his motorcade pulled onto the street and stopped in front of the skyscraper, chants of “F*** Joe Biden” and applause could be heard from supporters.
Surrounded by security personnel, the president raised his fists toward the gathered crowd.
After a quick wave, he was quickly ushered inside. As he left, he silently said “thank you” to a waiting press pack before being wheeled away.
As Trump exited the building, he greeted his supporters in the building's lobby after they began chanting his name and “47.”
The former president raised his fist toward the waiting crowd as he returned to his motorcade on Wall Street
As the president left, he mumbled “thank you” toward a waiting press kit outside the skyscraper
Shouts of “f*** Joe Biden” and applause could be heard from supporters
WATCH: Trump walks back to greet supporters in his lobby at 40 Wall Street after the press conference concludes after they begin shouting “47!” and “TRUMP!” pic.twitter.com/NsPKFtU1OC
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) January 11, 2024
Security personnel, center, hold back the crowd of supporters as former President Donald Trump thanks them after a news conference
Earlier this afternoon, Trump addressed the court in court over the controversy surrounding his triplex apartment in Trump Tower, which the attorney general said was mistakenly enlarged to three times its size.
He said it was an “honest mistake” and that it was immediately corrected.
Trump also claimed that “legal scholars” found the case “disgraceful” and that the law used against him was “evil.”
“It doesn't give me a jury, it takes away all my rights. That's not a fraud, that's a betrayal of me.”
Trump claimed he was “ousted,” apparently in reference to his move to Florida in 2019, and claimed he paid $300 million in taxes.
In an apparent reference to New York state, he said: “They don’t want me anymore, let’s get rid of Trump.”
“I have built buildings all over this city. I have a problem, I guess it's because I ran for office.
Regarding James, he said that she “hates Trump and doesn't want me re-elected to the White House.”
When Judge Engoron gave Trump a minute's warning, Trump shot back: “[You have] Your own agenda, you can't listen for more than a minute.
Judge Engoron told Trump's lawyer Christopher Kise: “Mr. Kise, please control our client.”
Trump is flanked by his lawyers Christopher Kise and Alina Habba, wearing his trademark blue suit and red tie
Judge Arthur Engoron had previously banned Trump from speaking because he wanted him to stay on topic. But on Thursday the judge let him speak
Trump claimed the case was a “persecution.” The judge asked Trump, “Haven’t you ever been sued?”
Trump ignored him, saying he should have won this case “many times” and complaining that his motions to dismiss the case were “immediately dropped.”
Early Thursday morning, a somber-looking Trump was seen leaving Trump Tower, keeping his head bowed and refusing to stop and wave as he normally would.
Speaking to reporters outside the courtroom, he called the proceedings a “witch hunt,” a “disgrace” and “election interference at the highest levels.”
The case poses a major threat to Trump's real estate business and could result in him being forced to sell some of his most valuable properties, including Trump Tower.
Even before the trial began on October 2, Judge Engoron ruled that Trump committed fraud by overstating his net worth by as much as $2.2 billion to get better interest rates on bank loans.
The case was to determine the amount of the penalty, and the New York State Attorney General is seeking a $370 million fine in the civil case.
The lawsuit involves six undecided claims, including allegations of conspiracy, insurance fraud and falsification of business records.
Trump's company and two of his sons, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr., are also defendants. Eric Trump was also in court for closing arguments.
During his closing argument, Kise claimed that Trump did nothing wrong and did not deceive anyone about his wealth.
“Forty-four days of trial – not a single witness has come into this courtroom, your honor, and said it was a fraud,” Kise said, calling for his client to receive “a medal” for his business acumen rather than a punishment. which he viewed as an “entrepreneurial death penalty.”
“This entire case is a fabricated claim to pursue a political agenda,” Kise said. “There were press releases and posturing, but no evidence.”
Donald Trump could lose control of his New York properties – including his Trump Tower
Since the trial began in October, Trump has gone to court nine times to observe the case, testify and complain about it in front of television cameras.
Kise acknowledged that some holdings may have been listed higher by “immaterial” amounts, but added: “There are many assets that were undervalued by significant amounts.”
Engoron said he is deciding the case because neither side has asked for a jury and state law does not allow juries for this type of lawsuit. He said he hopes to make a decision by the end of the month.
Last month, the judge signaled in a ruling denying a defense request for early sentencing that he was inclined to hold Trump and his co-defendants liable for at least some claims.
“As has been argued in this ad nauseum lawsuit, assessments may be based on different criteria analyzed in different ways,” Engoron wrote in the Dec. 18 decision. “But a lie is still a lie.”
Trump will be back in court next week for his upcoming libel trial against Trump after a jury found last year that he sexually assaulted columnist E. Jean Carroll.
Trump will be back in court next week for his upcoming libel trial against Trump after a jury found last year that he sexually assaulted columnist E. Jean Carroll, here on Jan. 6
Trump also claimed to have never met Carroll; he is seen above with Carroll and her then-husband John Johnson and his then-wife Ivana at an event in 1987
Trump, speaking Saturday in Iowa as the Republican front-runner ahead of the Jan. 15 primary, criticized the judge as a “radical Democrat.”
He also mocked E. Jean Carroll for not screaming when she was attacked. say: “It was all made up.”
Carroll, 80, won a $5 million award last May from a jury that concluded that Trump sexually assaulted her in the dressing room of a luxury department store in 1996 and defamed her in 2022.
In the upcoming trial, a jury will consider whether Trump should be charged damages for comments he made after last year's verdict.
Carroll is seeking $10 million in compensatory damages and a much larger amount in unspecified punitive damages in the lawsuit. She will testify and Trump will be listed as a witness.