Trump fraud trial: Trump intends to deliver part of closing argument himself, say sources

[Tom of Temecula]

Former President Trump intends to personally deliver part of the defense's closing argument at the conclusion of his civil fraud trial in New York on Thursday, sources familiar with the former president's strategy tell ABC News.

The defendants in the case -- Trump, his two eldest sons and two former Trump Organization executives -- are represented by three primary attorneys, Christopher Kise, Clifford Robert and Alina Habba. But sources say Trump himself is determined to deliver a portion of the closing statement.

The sources cautioned that plans for the defense's closing argument remain fluid.

The Manhattan courtroom where the trial has been held during its first 11 weeks is currently in use for another high-profile trial involving the New York attorney general's case against the National Rifle Association, and the judge in that case told jurors that trial would temporarily move to a different courtroom this week to accommodate Trump's civil trial.

https://abcnews.go.com/US/live-updates/trump-fraud-trial/trump-intends-to-deliver-part-of-closing-himself-say-sources-106237800?id=103642561

Should be quite a show.

[chicoescuela]

1. Can't wait

[louis-t]

2. Cuz he's so smart.

He knows better than his cheap attorneys.

[fierywoman]

3. So is this where Alina Habba is faking being smart?

[Joinfortmill]

4. So tired of this egotistical maniac

[brush]

5. The Dunning-Kruger Effect will be in effect when trump gives closing argument.

God, this bloviating fat bastard has taken up way too much of the naiton's time.

Try his ass already...we all know he won't be found innocent of all the 91 felonies he's charged with.

[limbicnuminousity]

6. A belated Christmas present.

Record it (if it happens) for the grandkids to take to show and tell.

[Ocelot II]

7. How can I get a ticket to this show?

[dem4decades]

8. I'm sure he'll sway the judge.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

9. That's somewhat safe. He gets to say whatever he wants, ...

... and he can't be cross-examined.

[gratuitous]

10. That occurred to me, as well

He gets to deliver all his testimony, isn't sworn, and can't be cross-examined. The prosecution will, I'm confident, take careful notes of anything Needy Amin says and throw it back in his insipid face in their closing statement, and he has to sit there and take it.

[C_U_L8R]

11. Let him do it.

The prosecutors can easily trigger him with an objection or two.

[a kennedy]

12. I wanna know how tRump is paying all his attorneys???

[SilasSouleII]

31. This is how

https://apnews.com/article/trump-lawyers-millions-payments-2024-campaign-2e06de2a8a90b3752e7758dfea56a509

[EndlessWire]

13. THIS THURSDAY ??

Wow, what a week! Trump is going to speak directly to Judge Engoron (and apparently, his hated clerk) while watching his crime family's fortune and means of grifting the public and financial institutions drain away? Trump isn't capable of a closing argument. What's he gonna do, threaten the judge?

[TexasBushwhacker]

29. But TFG thinks he's smarter than his lawyers

smarter than the judge, smarter than everyone.

[captain queeg]

14. Oh please, please let it be so.

[Blue Owl]

15. Now get up there and shit yourself, Captain Pantload

[jcgoldie]

16. please proceed dumbass

What could go wrong?

[tanyev]

17. That should go well.

[Liberal In Texas]

18. The "fool for a client" was never so apt. n/t

[ret5hd]

19. "There are some things even MY lawyers won't say!"

[Maeve]

20. Were gonna need a lot more popcorn!

[Generic Brad]

21. Could we get to witness his full blown narcissistic meltdown?

He appears to me to be on the edge of losing it in public. The threat of losing his money, the embarrassment of being exposed as a fraud, and the relentless pressure of all the other cases he has no viable defense against has to be too much for him to bear. He is still human, after all. It feels like we're days away from a full blown, hyper embarrassing, impotent tantrum the likes of which this country has never seen before.

[Demobrat]

24. Let it be so.

[tom_kelly]

22. He won't

Because of “advice of my lawyers” at the last moment

[PortTack]

33. Agree...he says...lies about a lot of things

[dalton99a]

23. Excellent. Talk until you drop.

[Probatim]

25. Monkeys will fly from my ass singing showtunes before that ever happens.

Just sayin'...

[Aviation Pro]

26. Fer fuck's sake

Should be quite a shit show.

There, enhanced.

What a fucking moron, Motherfucker does realize he's trying to convince the judge, who he threatened, of his lack of culpability?

No, the walking embodiment of a filled shitbag probably doesn't.

And yeah, he'll bone spurs out of this one too.

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

27. "Why are you picking on me?"

[lame54]

28. This old routine? He won't do it

[barbtries]

30. that should go well.

for the prosecution, i mean.

if he does, which i doubt, what he will gain from it is spinning the result for his cult. sure won't win the case for himself

[Efilroft Sul]

32. I hope it turns out that Melania convinced him to do this, guessing he'll self-convict in doing so.

[VMA131Marine]

34. There is absolutely no possible way that

Trump stays on script. He’s his own worst enemy in legal proceedings. A good lawyer would quit if he insists on going through with this because Trump will almost certainly perjure himself.

[Rebl2]

35. 🙄

[rsdsharp]

36. I'm suuuuuuure he's been immersing himself in the rules of procedure and evidence.

If he actually does this, he’ll get about one sentence in before he hears the first (of many) objection(s).

[LetMyPeopleVote]

37. The judge was going to impose conditions on TFG and TFG never accepted these restrictions

Here are the rules and conditions that the judge told TFG that he would have to comply with if he wanted to give part of the closing argument

Link to tweet

TFG did not respond to the third deadline and so the judge ruled that TFG could not give part of the closing argument

Link to tweet