Trump, who has largely avoided courtrooms, has been making a rare appearance in the Manhattan court where prosecutors are accusing him, his company and his family of intentionally exaggerating the value of their properties to commit insurance fraud. Trump has denied all wrongdoing.
Reporters had described Trump as looking calm and stoic throughout the four arraignments in New York, Florida, and Washington, D.C., but the former president's behavior on the first day of his fraud trial appeared to mark a departure from that image.
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By the third day of the trial, Trump was visibly upset and complained to his attorneys."Trump returned to court on Wednesday morning and sat quietly, for the most part, though he expressed more impatience than he did during the previous two days," The New York Times's Kate Christobek and Jonah Bromwich wrote.
The Daily Beast's Jose Pagliery also reported that when Engoron told the court that typical formalities could be abandoned since it's a bench trial and not a jury trial, "Trump began to grumble and angrily folded his arms while staring at the judge."
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"Trump turned to defense lawyer Alina Habba at his left to complain in loud groans—this reporter could only make out the words 'no jury!'—then threw his arms up and shook his head," Pagliery said. "The former president then let out an annoyed sigh and slumped forward, stretching his dark blue suit jacket."…
On Wednesday, Trump's former longtime accountant, Donald Bender, took the stand, offering troublesome testimony against the Trump Organization that could be seen as a betrayal given the close relationship between the two men. Bender's soft-spoken testimony appeared to set Trump off with the former president complaining about not being able to hear Bender, spreading his arms out and pointing to his ear as Bender spoke.###
Consistent with the above and the undersigned’s own observations of Trumpie’s unusual presentation during this trial, NBC News reported on Tuesday’s session that Trumpie’s face was “beet red” in anger.Attorney General Letitia James has gotten to Trumpie as 1) Alvin Bragg 2) Jack Smith and 3) Fani Willis never have. Trumpie skedaddled after today’s morning session, prompting General James to quip to reporters,
"The Donald Trump show is over."
