Judge Accuses Donald Trump of Lying Under Oath

Judge Arthur Engoron fined former President Donald Trump $10,000, finding his testimony "not credible" during a hearing about whether he violated a gag order Wednesday afternoon.

Engoron held a hearing Wednesday about whether comments Trump made to reporters constituted a violation of a gag order he imposed on the former president barring him from publicly discussing members of his staff after an attack against his clerk on social media earlier in October.

Trump told reporters that Engoron is "a very partisan judge with a person who's very partisan sitting alongside him," reported NBC News. Engoron interpreted his remarks to be an attack against that clerk, Allison Greenfield, who has been subject to criticism from the former president's legal team.

Trump took the stand under oath to defend his remarks to Engoron.

Trump argued that his comments were not in reference to Greenfield, but instead about his former attorney Michael Cohen, who testified against him this week, according to reporter Molly Crane-Newman. Engoron, however, did not believe his defense, accusing him of providing untruthful testimony, noting that his clerk is sitting "much closer" to him than Cohen.

"As a trier of fact, I find that the witness is not credible," Engoron said.

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

Trump's attorneys Chris Kise and Alina Habba objected to his ruling, but Engoron said Trump has previously attacked Cohen as dishonest, not partisan, Crane-Newman reported.

Trump's legal team earlier on Wednesday raised concerns about behavior from Engoron's clerk.

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

Trump on October 3 launched an attack against 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 previously found that Trump violated the gag order by not removing the post from his campaign website, despite taking it down from Truth Social, for 17 days after the order was imposed. He fined him $5,000 in that instance.

Trump has argued that gag orders would impede his First Amendment right to discuss the case as he seeks the Republican presidential nomination.

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.

Update 10/25/2023 3:21 p.m. ET: This article was updated with additional information.