A dramatic turn of events unfolded in the New York fraud trial of former President Donald Trump on Thursday, as Judge Arthur Engoron slammed his hand on the table, expressing his outrage over alleged misogyny exhibited by Trump’s legal team towards his principal law clerk. The incident occurred during a heated courtroom exchange, revealing deep tensions within the trial.
Throughout the five-week trial, the female law clerk had been providing assistance to Judge Engoron as needed. Last month, after Donald Trump criticized her publicly, Judge Engoron issued a gag order, prohibiting the defendants from making any public comments about his staff.
The situation escalated when attorney Chris Kise, representing the Trumps, made reference to the law clerk. Judge Engoron swiftly reprimanded Kise, stating, “Do not refer to my staff again. Sometimes I think there’s a bit of misogyny in you referring to my female principal law clerk.”
Kise defended himself, asserting he was not a misogynist and highlighting his family relationships. Alina Habba, another Trump attorney, joined the debate, disputing the law clerk’s actions and suggesting potential bias in her notes passed to the judge during proceedings. Engoron passionately defended the law clerk’s role, emphasizing his right to seek advice from her.
Eric Trump, who was testifying at the time, appeared visibly uncomfortable during the exchange. The court recessed shortly after the incident, with Eric Trump’s testimony scheduled to resume on Friday.
This incident comes amidst tensions in the courtroom, with Donald Trump having violated the gag order twice, resulting in fines totaling $15,000. Judge Engoron has warned of further sanctions if the order continues to be disregarded. The trial remains a focal point of intense scrutiny as it unfolds in New York.
