'Sir sit down': Judge increasingly 'expresses annoyance' with Trump's antics in court

Friday ended with Judge Juan Merchan telling Donald Trump to sit down.

It was the culmination of an intense debate between Trump's lawyers and the prosecutors about the rules around whether Trump will testify in the trial.

Known as a Sandoval hearing, the proceeding guarantees that the defense knows what might be asked if a criminal defendant takes the stand.

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Tyler McBrien, Lawfare managing editor, noted that Trump lawyer Todd Blanche began pushing back on everything. Each detail became something objectionable to the Trump team, according to the report.

One such moment was Trump's team complaining about the "Access Hollywood" information again. Merchan called it "a third bite at the apple."

"Defense is literally targeting individual decisions one, by one, by one, by one, with these premotion letters," Merchan complained. "There comes a point where you accept my rulings. I've entertained your motions, your arguments, in good faith."

One of the prosecutors called Team Trump's tactics "dilatory."

Prosecutor Joshua Steinglass complained about the ongoing issues.

"This sounds suspiciously like the half an hour we spent debating this on Monday," he said.

Steinglass asked Merchan to reject it, calling it "just another tactic."

McBrien also mentioned a moment when Trump lawyer Susan Necheles quipped, "Of course, we don't want any delay," but she went on to ask to get at least one witness name from the prosecution to begin the trial next week. Prosecutors have refused because Trump has purportedly spent the past several days attacking witnesses.

"Whether you get the name or not, you're not going to delay the trial," Merchan said.

Just Security fellow Adam Klasfeld pointed to the exchange between Necheles and Merchan as an example that Trump's gag order violations have already had consequences. There have already been ten, McBrien explained.

He also stated that the judge was "expressing annoyance" with Trump's actions.

Merchan told the court that proceedings were starting Monday.

That's when Trump stood up abruptly, described McBrien.

"Sir, can you please have a seat," Merchan said.

The judge went on to thank everyone and exited, before the antsy ex-president was allowed to leave.