The former president is making the case to his supporters that he is being wrongfully targeted. And it might bring him more support.

Presiding Judge Arthur Engoron rejected former President Donald Trump’s request to delay a civil trial last week. James sued Trump, his children and the Trump Organization, alleging that Trump "inflated his net worth by billions of dollars" and said his children helped him to do so.

A defiant Donald Trump attacked New York's attorney general and the judge overseeing his civil fraud trial as it began on Monday, with a state lawyer accusing the former president of generating more than $1 billion by lying about his real estate empire.

After a years-long investigation by Democrat New York Attorney General Letitia James, former President Donald Trump and his company are accused of lying about his wealth in financial statements. Trump calls trial a “witch hunt” as he arrives in the court room for the first day.

While the ruling addressed a key claim made by James, six other fraud claims remain. It is these claims that will be addressed in the civil trial – a nonjury trial that Engoron