Trump berates NY fraud trial judge at closing arguments

NEW YORK: Donald Trump ignored warnings from the judge in his New York civil fraud trial on Thursday and turned closing arguments into an election campaign attack, claiming that prosecutors are out to stop his political comeback.

Prosecutors are demanding $370 million from Trump over fraud allegations -- and to bar him from conducting business in the state where he made his name as a celebrity real estate tycoon.

Trump had sought to deliver full closing arguments himself, but permission was denied when he failed to sign off on restrictions aimed at stopping him from using the courtroom as an electioneering platform.

Judge Arthur Engoron then allowed Trump to make brief additional comments after his lawyer had spoken -- again insisting that the Republican presidential candidate and former president respect courtroom rules.

Trump almost immediately launched into a bitter attack on the New York state attorney general, saying, “They want to make sure I never win again. The (attorney general) hates Trump... and if I can´t talk about that it´s a disservice.”

Engoron attempted to interrupt Trump with a warning to wrap up his statement and Trump responded: “You have your own agenda, you can´t listen for more than one minute.” Engoron told Trump´s lawyer to “control your client.”