Trump scolded by judge within minutes of trial testimony starting

Judge Arthur Engoron scolded former President Donald Trump on Monday just minutes into his testimony during his civil fraud trial.

Trump took the stand to provide his highly-anticipated testimony in the trial into whether he committed business fraud through The Trump Organization. His testimony quickly grew contentious as the former president accused prosecutors of unjustly targeting him.

The trial stems from a lawsuit New York Attorney General Letitia James filed last year, alleging that former President Donald Trump and top executives at his family company, The Trump Organization, conspired to increase his net worth by billions of dollars on financial statements provided to banks and insurers to make deals and secure loans. Trump, who is campaigning for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination and is the current frontrunner, has denied any wrongdoing and has called the trial politically motivated. The lawsuit is civil, not criminal, meaning he will not face jail time.

Engoron previously ruled Trump, his adult sons, their businesses, and executives committed fraud and will now decide on six other accusations, including falsifying business records, insurance fraud, and conspiracy claims during the trial, as Trump's legal team did not opt for a jury trial. The result could see the former president lose some of his famous properties and be barred from doing business in New York.