Judge Arthur Engoron's ruling Wednesday that former President Donald Trump will not be allowed to deliver his own closing argument in his civil fraud trial in New York "tells anyone watching what is happening to our republic," says Donald Trump Jr.
"Consistent with the theme of third world, Banana Republic stuff, you're not allowed to defend yourself. I'm under a gag order, I'm not even allowed to comment on these things, I think," Trump Jr. said on Newsmax during an appearance on "Newsline."
"That ruling by itself tells anyone watching what is happening to our republic, the rights that we believed we had. For the Democrats and for Democratic activists, it's just all a soundbite," he added.
"It's something … they laugh about as they trample our constitution, as they trample our civil rights on a daily basis. It's about results for them, and they play the game much more viciously and much more aggressively than anyone on the Republican side and that's also why they fear Donald Trump so much because they're worried that he will dismantle the system that has allowed them to be able to get away with this sort of insanity all over the place."
Engoron rescinded permission for Trump to make his own closing arguments after the former president's lawyers objected to the judge's insistence that Trump stick to "relevant" matters.
The trial could cost Trump hundreds of millions of dollars in penalties and strip him of his ability to do business in New York. His lawyers had signaled last week that he planned to take the extraordinary step of delivering a summation personally, in addition to arguments from his legal team.
Trump Jr. said the foolishness doesn't stop with Engoron.
"You saw what happened in Atlanta with Fani Willis, the district attorney outside of Atlanta," he said. "So, she's paying an outside lawyer who she apparently allegedly happens to be sleeping with, $654,000, then goes on lavish vacations with him. He's then meeting Biden's White House counsel at the White House. Of course, they're not coordinating. I'm sure this is all totally above board. It never ends.
"You can't make this stuff up."
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Solange Reyner ✉
Solange Reyner is a writer and editor for Newsmax. She has more than 15 years in the journalism industry reporting and covering news, sports and politics.
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