Hold the presses

Apparently he wouldn't agree to the terms when the judge said he couldn't deny assaulting Carroll, because that had already been determined in a jury trial.

[H]is lawyers refused to guarantee he would stick to matters “relevant” to the case.

  The Hill

In their defense, how could they?

An email exchange between Engoron and Trump’s lawyers posted to the case’s docket showed a testy back-and-forth over the types of comments Trump would be allowed to make.

[...]

Engoron [said] he would allow Trump to make a closing argument if he promised on the record to “limit his subjects” to what is permissible in a lawyer’s closing argument.

“He may not seek to introduce new evidence. He may not ‘testify.’ He may not comment on irrelevant matters,” Engoron wrote in the email. “In particular, and without limitation, he may not deliver a campaign speech, and he may not impugn myself, my staff, plaintiff, plaintiff’s staff, or the New York State Court System, none of which is relevant to this case, and all of which, except commenting on my staff, can be done, and is being done, in other forums.”

Engoron continued that if Trump violated any rules, he would not hesitate to “cut him off in mid-sentence and admonish him” or end his closing argument, barring him from making future statements in the courtroom.

If Trump violated the gag order Engoron imposed earlier in the trial, which blocked him and his attorneys from making comments about the judge’s staff, Engoron said he would direct court officers to “immediately” remove Trump from the courtroom and bar him no less than $50,000.

[...]

“This is very unfair, your honor,” Kise said in a Jan. 10 email. “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 the things that must be spoken about.”

“I won’t debate this yet again. Take it or leave it. Now or never,” Engoron replied. “You have until noon, seven minutes from now. I WILL NOT GRANT ANY FURTHER EXTENSIONS.”

[...]

Several additional emails between Kise and Engoron followed, including one in which Kise informed the court that Trump’s mother-in-law had passed away and requested a delay in closing remarks, which Engoron denied.

Oh boy.  Let the whining and grifting commence on that order.

Closing remarks are still expected to take place Thursday, with both sides allowed two hours and 15 minutes to make their final presentations to the judge. Engoron, who is overseeing the bench trial without a jury, could decide the case before the end of the month.

I expect before the middle of the month.

Despite expressing his condolences, Engoron declined to postpone the summations.

"I'm sure you realize, although you may not realize to what extent, that every appearance of Mr. Trump requires court officers, court clerks, administrators, security details, technical people, etc. to rearrange their schedules and to plan for the day," Engoron wrote, adding that administrators had to "evict" jurors from the ceremonial courtroom to make way for the high-profile arguments. "Of course, I am also anxious to hear a full day of closing statements as I consider the case as a whole. On balance, going forward makes the most sense."

[...]

Kise did not reply by the deadline, and Engoron told him that he would docket the email exchange on the public record "to preserve your appellate rights."

[...]

Before trial began late last year, Engoron ordered the dissolution of Trump's New York business empire on the first of seven counts of the lawsuit. That ruling remains under appeal. The judge has yet to determine the penalties under the remaining six claims, which could be heavy. The attorney general has asked for Trump and his ex-business associates Jeffrey McConney and Allen Weisselberg to be banned from working in the state's real estate industry for the rest of their lives. The state also wants Trump, his business associates, and his sons Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr. to pay roughly $370 million in ill-gotten gains.

In addition, the Trump sons face a possible five-year ban from New York's real estate industry.

  The Messenger

UPDATE 01/11/2024: So he's going on Fox News instead.