Donald Trump has demanded his £250million fraud case against him be dismissed as he blasted the “fraudster” court following multiple outbursts during the trial.
Addressing the media outside the court after proceedings concluded, Trump said the case should be “dismissed immediately”.
He said: “I think it went very well. I think if you were there and you listened and you see what a scam this is.
“This is a case that should never have been brought. It’s a case that should be dismissed immediately. The fraud was on behalf of the court. The court was the fraudster in this case.
“They made references to assets that were very valuable and they said… they had no idea. They had no idea what the numbers were. They said $18million for Mar A Lago and it’s 50 to 100 times that amount by any estimation.
Donald Trump accused the court case of being a politically motivated 'witch hunt'
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He added he was 'sure the judge will rule against me'
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“It’s a terrible thing that’s happened here. We’re taking days and days, and weeks and weeks.
“It goes on and then you look at the outside world and what’s happened but of course they’re getting their wish because I don’t have to be here for the most part but I sort of do have to be here because I want to be here.
“This is a scam and this is a case that should never have been brought and it’s a case that now should be dismissed.
“Everybody saw what happened today. Everybody saw what happened with their star witness who admitted that I never told him what he originally said I did. He admitted that he lied and he has absolutely no credibility whatsoever. That’s their only witness. That’s their only witness.
“I think you saw what I had to say today and it was very conclusive. Everything we did was absolutely right. To think that we’re being sued and spending all this time and money and you have people being killed all over the world that this country could stop.
“With inflation and all of the other problems that this country has I think it’s a disgrace. And when you look at the numbers, the poll numbers that came out today from the New York Times and CBS, I’m sure the Times was not too happy.
“But people are sick and tired of what’s happening. This is a sad, I think it’s a very sad day for America.
“But anyway this is a case that should have never been brought and it’s a case that should be immediately dismissed. Thank you. Thank you very much.”
It comes after Trump was threatened with expulsion from court after the judge asked his legal team to “control their client” following repeated outbursts from the former president.
Judge Arthur Engoron begged Trump to “please, just answer the questions, no speeches” as Trump took to the stand to give testimony in his civil fraud trial.
When Trump was asked by the prosecution if a statement regarding the valuation of a property on Wall Street was accurate, he began a tirade on the statue of limitations.
Judge Engoron, whom Trump has repeatedly slammed as a political operative, told Trump's lawyer Chris Kise to “control” him, otherwise he would be dismissed from the stand.
The former US president took to the stand after being accused of having misled lenders and insurers, earning him $100million and exaggerating his wealth by $2billion.
State lawyers claim he inflated the valuation of his assets in order to win better financing terms.
Donald Trump is currently also facing four criminal court cases
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Sat with a face like thunder, the businessman lashed out out at the court case and criticised the prosecution.
“They just weren’t a very important element in the bank’s decision-making process, and we’ll explain that as this trial goes along, as this crazy trial goes along,” Trump said under questioning from New York state lawyer Kevin Wallace.
He further accused the case of being a politically motivated “witch hunt”.
Trump accused legal authorities of paying unduly close attention to his business after he won the 2016 presidential election.
“I’m sure the judge will rule against me because he always rules against me,” he said.
“This is a very unfair trial.”
Judge Engoron has already ruled estimates from Trump's estate to be fraudulent.
New York state lawyers argued in their lawsuit that the estimates misled lenders and insurers, earning him $100million and exaggerating his wealth by $2billion.
The lawsuit is one of a number of court cases facing the former President.
The frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination is also battling four criminal cases which threaten prison time.
Trump has sought to take advantage of the legal cases, using them to solicit campaign donations and argue that he is being targeted for his political views.
But the civil fraud case against Trump and his business could undercut his image, cultivated over decades, as a glamorous billionaire who shuttles between elegant resorts and premium golf courses that bear his name.
Additional reporting by Oliver Trapnell and Holly Bishop
