Judge Arthur Engoron, presiding over Donald Trump’s civil fraud trial in New York, faced a bomb threat at his home early Thursday morning. The Nassau County Police Department conducted a “swatting” investigation, which involves making a fake emergency call to dispatch law enforcement to a location. Although deemed unfounded, the investigation is ongoing. This threat came hours before the closing arguments in Trump’s trial and follows a series of threats and harassment against Engoron and his court staff since the trial’s start in October.
The bomb threat did not impact the trial proceedings, which resumed as scheduled. Judge Engoron, who did not address the threat upon returning to the bench, has been overseeing the high-profile case in the New York County Supreme Court. The case involves allegations by New York Attorney General Letitia James against Trump and his associates for inflating the value of assets to secure better loan terms. Trump has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, labeling the trial as politically motivated and a “rigged trial”.
This incident reflects a worrying trend of increasing threats against judges and prosecutors involved in legal cases against high-profile individuals. It’s part of a broader pattern of “swatting” incidents and bomb hoaxes targeting U.S. officials, adding to the security challenges in high-stakes legal trials. The threat against Judge Engoron followed a similar “swatting” incident targeting Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is overseeing Trump’s federal election interference case.
The trial, which has garnered significant media attention, has seen Trump making various public statements against the proceedings and the judicial staff involved. Despite these challenges, the legal process has continued, with the court focusing on determining the penalties Trump should face for his actions. The outcome of this trial is anticipated to have a substantial impact, not only on Trump’s legal standing but also on the broader political landscape as he remains a prominent figure in U.S. politics.