New York, NY – Former President Donald Trump’s plan to present part of his closing argument in his fraud trial is uncertain after he failed to meet a deadline to agree to limitations set by Judge Arthur Engoron. The judge had instructed Trump to adhere to a limited gag order and refrain from defaming the New York attorney general and her staff, to which Trump’s attorney strongly objected.
The email exchange between Engoron and Trump’s defense counsel was made public on Wednesday, revealing Engoron’s refusal to negotiate further on the limitations he had imposed. Faced with missing the initial deadline, the judge ruled that Trump would not be allowed to testify. Trump’s attorney, Chris Kise, then requested a postponement of the closing arguments due to the recent passing of Melania Trump’s mother.
However, the request was promptly denied by Engoron, who stated that the closing arguments would proceed as planned. Kise expressed Trump’s intention to still attend and speak during the closings despite the recent tragedy. Engoron sought assurance that Trump would comply with his rules, but Kise pushed back, claiming that Trump should be allowed to address the issues that needed to be discussed.
Engoron, maintaining his stance, refused any further extensions and set a noon deadline for Kise’s response. When Kise failed to reply, Engoron assumed that Trump would not be speaking and announced that their email exchange would be posted to the court’s public docket.
In response to these developments, Trump’s legal spokesperson, Alina Habba, issued a statement expressing little surprise. The outcome of Trump’s plan to deliver part of his closing argument remains uncertain.
Donald Trump’s plan to deliver part of his closing argument in his fraud trial is in doubt after he failed to agree to the limitations set by Judge Arthur Engoron. The judge had imposed a limited gag order on Trump, preventing him from defaming the New York attorney general and her staff. Trump’s attorney objected to these restrictions, calling them untenable. When Trump’s lawyers missed the initial deadline for compliance, Engoron ruled that Trump could not testify. Despite the recent passing of Melania Trump’s mother, the judge denied a request for postponing the closing arguments. Trump’s attorney confirmed that Trump still intended to attend and speak during the closings. However, Engoron asked for assurance that Trump would abide by his rules, leading to a deadlock between the parties. As a result, Engoron assumed that Trump would not be speaking and made their email exchange public. Trump’s legal spokesperson responded to the situation with little surprise.
Trump’s plan to deliver part of his closing argument in his fraud trial faces uncertainty as he failed to agree to the limitations imposed by Judge Arthur Engoron. The judge’s limited gag order, preventing Trump from defaming the New York attorney general and her staff, was met with objections from Trump’s attorney. Considering Trump’s lawyers missed the initial deadline, Engoron ruled against his testimony. Although Melania Trump’s mother’s recent passing led to a request for postponement, the judge denied it. Trump’s attorney confirmed his intent to participate in the closings, leading to a tense exchange with Engoron regarding the compliance with his rules. Consequently, Engoron assumed Trump would not be speaking and disclosed their email correspondence. Trump’s legal spokesperson responded with a lack of surprise.