ANALYSIS: Is Trump’s Courtroom Speech an Asset or Liability?

The former president clashed several times with the judge in the New York civil fraud trial. Experts weigh in on whether this helps him legally and politically.

Former President Donald Trump prepares to testify during his trial at New York State Supreme Court in New York, on Nov. 6, 2023. Brendan McDermid/Pool/AFP via Getty Images

Former President Donald Trump offered controversial testimony on Nov. 6, prompting observers to suggest he had brought his 2024 presidential campaign to the courtroom.

New York Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron told President Trump’s attorney, Chris Kise, to “control your client” and get the campaign rhetoric out of the courtroom because the testimony was “not a political rally.”