Remember Trump's awkward hissy fit during his civil court case?

Former President Donald Trump's civil fraud case in New York produced a lot of newsworthy headlines, not least of which was the stunning $354 million dollars in fines he was ordered to pay. But there was one incident that still stands above the rest: the day he stormed out of court.

Trump stormed out of his civil fraud case in New York to audible gasps from the courtroom in what was just one example of the former president’s disdain for following the rules. Here’s what caused Trump’s hissy fit and why it made headlines around the world. 

Judge Arthur Engoron briefly halted Trump’s civil fraud case in New York back in October 2023 and called the former president to the stand so he could ask Trump about comments he made the judge believed referenced his law clerk. 

Judge Engoron had previously placed a gag order on the former president after Trump made disparaging comments about his law clerk Allison Greenfield on his social media according to a report from CBS News. 

During a mid-morning break in the case, Trump spoke to the press about “a person who is very partisan sitting alongside” the judge, a comment that Engoron believed was in reference to his law clerk who was sitting next to him at the time. 

“This judge is a very partisan judge with a person who is very partisan sitting alongside him – perhaps even much more partisan than he is,” the former president stated, which was just enough to raise Engoron’s ire and earn Trump a trip to the stand. 

Trump’s lawyers claimed that the statement was not directed at Engoron’s law clerk before the court broke for lunch and argued the comments were about Michael Cohen, Trump’s former lawyer and legal fixer. Cohen was set to testify in front of the court that day.  

However, Engoron wanted to hear directly from Trump about his comments according to CNN, and he paused the former president’s civil case so that he could ask Trump to take the stand in order to explain his earlier remarks. 

“To whom were you referring,” Engoron asked Trump in reference to the comments that Trump made during the previous break. “You and Cohen,” replied Trump. However, the judge wasn’t buying Trump’s response. 

“Are you sure you didn’t mean the person on the other side?” Engoron asked the former president, talking about the law clerk who was seated right beside him. “Yes,” I’m sure,” Trump responded. But things got worse for the former president. 

After Trump left the stand, Engoron issued the former president a $10,000 dollar fine, which earned the protest of his lawyers and apparently put Trump in a foul enough mood to later flee the courtroom. 

“As the trier of fact, I find that the witness is not credible,” Engoron explained after Trump was seated, noting Trump’s previous comments about his law clerk and the fact that there was a barrier between himself and Michael Cohen. 

“I do not like having eyes rolled… I do not like being yelled at by law clerks who did not earn the robe,” Trump’s attorney Alina Habba said in protest of the judgment. Engoron reconsidered his ruling but let it stand. 

“Don’t do it again or it’ll be worse,” the judge said. Trump didn’t react to these comments and his civil court case quickly got back underway. But that's when things took a turn for the worse for the former president.

Michael Cohen got back on the stand, and while being cross-examined by Trump's lawyer Robert Cliffs, Cohen contradicted himself regarding Trump implying he needed to inflate the former president’s financial statements. 

When Trump’s lawyer called for a directed verdict to dismiss the trial, it was denied and that was when Trump had his big hissy fit. The former president stood up and said: “I’m leaving,” with his Secret Service detail chasing after him according to People. 

Trump eventually made his way back to the courtroom when the court session ended and spoke to the judge for about 45 minutes behind closed doors with his lawyers. Details of their conversation weren’t revealed but Trump did issue a statement. 

“That should be the end of the case,” Trump said according to CNN, adding: “If we had a jury, this case would’ve never started, practically.” Trump was previously fined $5000 for not taking down his inflammatory social media post quickly enough.