A bomb threat was reported early Thursday morning at the Long Island residence of Judge Arthur Engoron, who is presiding over the civil fraud trial of former President Donald Trump, according to US media. Officials from the Nassau County Police Department subsequently confirmed that the threat was, in fact, a swatting incident—a deliberate false alarm crafted to provoke a significant emergency response.
The timing of the disruption, which coincided with the period Judge Engoron was engaged in the closing arguments phase of the trial, has raised concerns about potential intimidation tactics aimed at the judiciary. The trial, which has seen a comprehensive review of extensive financial records and witness testimonies, hinges on allegations of fraudulent practices within the Trump Organization.
In an email, delivered to Trump’s attorney, Chris Kise, which was later made public by Trump, Judge Engoron set forth strict limitations on the content of any closing statement that Trump himself might deliver, directing Trump to stick to the facts of the case and to not deliver a “campaign speech” or impugn the court. Engoron later told Kise, “Take it or leave it. Now or never. You have until noon, seven minutes from now. I WILL NOT GRANT ANY FURTHER EXTENSIONS.” Trump refused to acquiesce to these stipulations.
The situation escalated as Trump publicly criticized the judge and New York’s attorney general on his media platform Truth Social, labeling the legal proceedings as prejudiced and “rigged.” He suggested that the scheduling of the trial, coinciding with the Iowa primary, constituted “election interference,” insinuating a deliberate attempt to disadvantage him politically.
The recent swatting incident at Judge Engoron’s residence is not an isolated event but part of a broader escalation in hostile actions toward legal authorities involved in Trump’s cases. Just last month, the FBI announced its involvement in investigating threats against the justices of the Colorado Supreme Court following their decision to disqualify Trump from the state’s primary ballot for the 2024 presidential race.
