Donald Trump's Lawyers Are Getting Annoyed

Donald Trump's lawyer Alina Habba voiced annoyance with law clerks' behavior in the courtroom during the former president's civil trial into business fraud Wednesday morning.

Trump and his legal team appeared in a New York City courtroom for the second day of cross-examination of Michael Cohen, Trump's former attorney who is testifying against him in the trial surrounding New York Attorney General Letitia James' business fraud lawsuit.

James sued Trump for $250 million, accusing him of inflating his net worth by billions of dollars to obtain benefits such as better bank loans and reduced tax bills between 2011 and 2021. Trump maintains his innocence in the case, accusing prosecutors of targeting him for political purposes. The lawsuit is civil, not criminal, meaning that Trump will not face jail time in this case.

Engoron ruled last month that 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.

Habba raised concerns about Judge Arthur Engoron's law clerk on Wednesday, according to Politico journalist Erica Orden. The Messenger reported that she described the issue as a "delicate matter" and added that she once worked as a law clerk.

"It is incredibly distracting when there are eye rolls and constant whispering at the bench when I am crossing a witness," she said.

Habba asked Engoron to order the clerk to stop that behavior, and he agreed to grant her request, Orden reported. Orden noted that Habba referred to the same clerk whom Trump attacked in a Truth Social post earlier in October, resulting in Engoron issuing a gag order against him.

Trump on October 3 launched an attack against the clerk, Allison Greenfield, for once taking a photograph with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, a New York Democrat, and suggested, without evidence, that Greenfield and Schumer were romantically involved. He argued the photograph was grounds for the case to be dismissed.

Engoron issued a gag order barring Trump and his legal team from publicly discussing members of his staff, telling him that "personal attacks on members of my court staff are unacceptable and inappropriate."

Newsweek reached out to Trump's campaign for comment via email.

Trump himself has also faced criticism over his behavior during the trial.

Responding to the October 18 testimony of real estate appraiser Doug Larson, Trump threw his hands in the air and spoke to his lawyer. James' legal team then asked Engoron to warn the former president to remain silent during the trial.

"Ok, I'll ask everyone to be quiet when the witness is testifying, particularly if it's meant to influence [the] testimony," Engoron said.