Donald Trump Rages at 'Sleazebag' Witness Who Took the Stand Against Him

Donald Trump has lashed out at his former attorney Michael Cohen after he testified against the former president during the civil fraud trial in New York.

Trump called his ex-right-hand man turned frequent critic a "total sleazebag" after Cohen gave evidence for a second day on Wednesday as part of New York Attorney General Letitia James' $250 million lawsuit accusing the former president of fraudulently inflating the value of his assets and properties in financial statements for years.

Trump's attack followed a hectic day of proceedings at the New York courtroom, with Judge Arthur Engoron, who is overseeing the civil trial, fining the former president $10,000 for violating a gag order by speaking publicly about a member of Engoron's court staff.

Trump also dramatically walked out of the courtroom soon after Cohen's testimony finished, and was quickly followed by his Secret Service detail and his son Eric, who is also named in James' lawsuit.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump falsely claimed that James' case against him is "dead" but the "Radical Left Judge REFUSES to end it."

Engoron has already ruled that Trump had committed fraud while inflating the value of several properties—the main allegation in James' suit—and that the proceedings in New York will now consider six remaining claims in the lawsuit, as well as the size of the penalty. Trump denies the allegations.

"He just can't let it go. Their 'star' witness lied like a dog on the stand today, and then admitted that I did NOTHING WRONG! A total SleazeBag," Trump wrote.

"Letitia James should focus on Violent Crime, which is out of control. So unfair. I don't even get a Jury Trial. A blight on the New York State Judicial System. Businesses are watching all over the world, and never coming in, only moving out. The Governor should get involved. Election Interference by my Political Opponent!"

In reaction to the criticism, Cohen told Newsweek: "How sad to see someone who I once so respected free fall into the dumpster mess he has become. His cognitive dissonance inhibits his ability to process all the information which included my statement: that Donald speaks like a mob boss."

During cross-examination on Wednesday, Cohen was made to backtrack on his testimony the day before in which he said that Trump had told him to increase the value of assets in financial statements "based upon a number that he arbitrarily elected."

Trump attorney Clifford Robert asked Cohen on Wednesday: "Trump never directed you to inflate the numbers in his personal statement. Yes or no?"

Cohen replied: "Yes." Cohen later suggested that Trump spoke like "a mob boss" and that the former president "tells you what he wants without specifically telling you."

The "yes" response resulted in the former president throwing his hands in the air. Robert then asked Engoron to give a directed verdict to dismiss the case, which Engoron declined, adding: "There's enough evidence in this case to fill the courtroom."

Commenting on the cross-examination, Cohen told Newsweek: "While he didn't specifically say go inflate the numbers on his [statement of financial condition], he raised the net worth number and directed myself and [Trump Organization former chief finance officer Allen Weisselberg] to go and figure it out. He knows he will be held accountable and the disgorgement will bankrupt him and his eponymous company."

Trump and his lawyers have tried to paint Cohen as an unreliable witness because of his history of lying under oath.

In 2018, Cohen pleaded guilty to lying to Congress and violating campaign finance laws in relation to money he paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels on behalf of the former president, to keep quiet about an alleged affair.

Trump abruptly left the courtroom after the judge refused to issue a directed verdict following Cohen's testimony on Wednesday

Speaking to reporters outside the courtroom, the former president said: "The witness just admitted that we won the trial and the judge should end this trial immediately."

Following his testimony, Cohen described the former president as a "defeated man."

"I saw somebody that knows that it's the end of the Trump Organization. Already found guilty of fraud, the license will ultimately be taken, and now this entire case is merely about how much," Cohen said. "This is merely about how much disgorgement the attorney general will be seeking."

Update 10/26/23, 11:30 a.m. ET: This article was updated with comment from Michael Cohen.