"Trump argues with the judge, complaining about the treatment of him in the fraud case in New York."."

Former U.S. President Donald Trump complained about unfair treatment during his lengthy and meandering testimony in a civil fraud trial concerning his business dealings in New York. At one point, the judge even warned Trump that he could be removed from the witness stand if he did not answer questions directly.

During the questioning about the accounting practices of his company, the former U.S. president clearly irritated Judge Arthur Engoron, who is considering imposing multi-million dollar fines and other penalties that could weaken the real estate empire that made Trump famous.

Engoron warned Trump, the frontrunner for the Republican nomination in the 2024 elections, that he could remove him from the witness stand if he does not answer questions directly.

“Can you control your client?” asked Engoron to Trump’s lawyer Christopher Kise. “This is not a political event, this is a court trial.”

Trump's testimony lasted until midday. His daughter Ivanka is set to take the stand on Wednesday, although she is not a defendant in this case.

For about four hours, Trump often avoided direct answers, instead boasting about his properties and wealth. He accused New York Attorney General Letitia James, a Democrat, of targeting him to advance her political career, and also blamed Engoron for undervaluing his properties.

“I consider this matter disgraceful. Many people are leaving New York because of things like this,” he said. “This is interference in the elections because you want to keep me in court.”

Both Engoron and Trump repeatedly raised their voices as the judge tried to prevent Trump from using the court to express his grievances.

“I’m here to listen to what he has to say. I’m here to hear the answers to the questions. Please take a seat,” said Engoron to Alina Habba, another one of Trump’s lawyers.

Later, Habba informed the judge that they would be requesting a review of the case, although the chances of success in this are slim.

Engoron has already found Trump, his adult sons, and 10 of his companies guilty of fraud, describing in scathing terms how the defendants inflated the value of their properties.

The remaining apartments and golf courses are the main subject of the court case.

In the midst of the events, Trump acknowledged that he was involved in certain documents that are key evidence of fraud. According to New York state attorneys, his company inflated the value of apartments, golf courses, and other assets to secure better financing terms.

Trump acknowledged that these valuations have not always been accurate. Some properties, such as the Mar-a-Lago estate and the Doral golf course in Florida, were undervalued, while others, like his residence in Trump Tower in New York and the Seven Springs estate north of the city, were overvalued.

He said it shouldn't matter because the assessments included language stating that they could be inaccurate, and his creditor Deutsche Bank is more interested in the amount of cash he has on hand. "I've had a lot of cash for a long time," Trump said.

Unlike the four criminal cases brought against Trump, this civil trial does not pose a threat of imprisonment for him, as he aims to return to the White House in 2024.

James is demanding fines of $250 million, as well as restrictions that prevent Trump and his sons Eric and Donald Jr. from doing business in their home state.

After Trump's testimony, James stated that he would be subject to punishment for "persistent and consistent fraud against the citizens of New York."

Former lawyer and Trump associate Michael Cohen testified that Trump instructed him to falsify financial reports to inflate his financial figures. There is also evidence that Eric and Donald Jr., who managed the Trump company during their father's time in the White House from 2017 to 2021, manipulated the values of prestigious properties, including Mar-a-Lago.

Last week, the Trump brothers stated that they were not familiar with the details of the valuation documents and blamed the accountants for the mistakes.

Trump also tried to blame the accountants, but admitted that he was involved in the valuation process. "Sometimes I might have made some suggestions," he said.

Trump was fined $15,000 for violating the shield restrictions and the ban on criticizing court staff. On Friday, this provision was extended to his lawyers. Trump's legal schedule threatens to hinder his ability to actively participate in the election campaign next year. However, opinion polls show that he has an advantage in the race for the Republican nomination.