In a high-stakes fraud trial, Michel Cohen’s former personal attorney and his current legal team exchanged fireworks during his second day of testimony.

There were multiple procedural skirmishes between the defence attorneys, prosecutors, and Judge Arthur Engoron during the heated day, culminating in Mr Trump being fined $10,000 (£8,250) for violating a gag order.

The president had earlier told reporters that Engoron was a “very partisan judge, with someone even more partisan than him sitting alongside him”. The judge’s clerk had been fined and given a gag order following a previous social media attack earlier this month.

On the stand, Mr Trump told the judge he was referring to “you and Cohen”, not the judge and his clerk.

In spite of this, Judge Engoron found his explanation “unbelievable,” and fined him $10,000 for repeated violations of the gag order.

“I am very protective of my staff, as I should be,” Judge Engoron had said earlier in the day, noting the “heated environment” surrounding the case. My goal is to prevent anyone from getting killed.

It was the culmination of a long and rocky day in court for Mr Trump’s former personal lawyer.

New York attorney general Letitia James accuses the Trump Organization and its top executives of inflating asset values to obtain more favourable loan terms. Mr Cohen is a key witness.

Judge Engoron has already ruled that the organization committed fraud, and the current trial is focused on additional charges against it. The New York real estate empire of Mr Trump could be at risk if an unfavourable ruling is handed down.

The Trump team clearly went on the offensive on Wednesday.