Former President Donald Trump’s civil fraud trial in Manhattan may be finally getting to him, with his cool exterior beginning to crack as he grows increasingly frustrated over proceedings in the courtroom.
The $250 million trial against Trump, the Trump Organization, and his two eldest sons, Donald Jr. and Eric, began on Monday. 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.
Observers described Trump shaking his head and crossing his arms in response to Judge Arthur Engoron’s comments and glaring at New York Attorney General Letitia James at one point when he was exiting the room.
By the third day of the trial, Trump was visibly upset and complained to his attorneys.
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“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.”
Trump has been vocally upset about not having a jury, calling the trial unfair without one. Still, Engoron noted that “nobody asked” for a jury trial, raising questions about whether Trump’s legal team should have moved to request jurors.
“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.”
The last three days have been difficult for Trump and his team, who have sparred with Engoron. On Tuesday, the judge admonished Trump’s attorneys for showing up late after a break. Engoron also issued a gag order that day barring Trump from discussing members of his staff after Trump attacked one of his law clerks on social media.
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.