Police on Long Island responded Thursday morning to a bomb threat at the home of Judge Arthur Engoron, who is presiding over former President Donald Trump’s civil fraud case, a source with direct knowledge of the situation told NBC News.
The threat came hours before closing arguments in the trial were scheduled to begin, with those arguments expected to proceed.
A Nassau County bomb squad was called to Engoron’s home and was investigating Thursday morning; it is unclear whether Engoron was home at the time.
On Wednesday, there was a tense email exchange between Engoron and Trump attorney Chris Kise over whether Trump could speak at closing arguments. Engoron ultimately denied the request.
There was a delay in processing reporters and lawyers through security lines into the courthouse where closing arguments are taking place because off the alleged bomb threat.
Outside the courthouse, protestors chanted behind a banner that said, “No dictators in the USA.”
Trump had asked to deliver part of the closing arguments himself, but Engoron rejected the request Wednesday in a contentious email exchange with Trump’s lawyers after the former president refused to commit to only speaking about the facts of the case and not engage in any attacks.
“You are not allowing President Trump, who has been wrongfully demeaned and belittled by an out of control, politically motivated Attorney General, to speak about things that must be spoken about,” Trump attorney Chris Kise wrote in an email to Engoron.
Engoron replied, “Take it or leave it. Now or never,” and gave Kise seven minutes to agree to his terms. Kise did not respond, prompting Engoron to say Trump won’t testify.
Trump, however, is still expected to attend closing arguments in Engoron’s courtroom Thursday. Before he participated in a town hall in Iowa on Wednesday night, Trump said he was being “forced” to return to New York for the closing arguments, despite having no obligation to attend.
“This is a rigged and unfair trial,” he wrote in a post to his Truth Social platform.
This is a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
