New York, AP - Former President Donald Trump has been fined $10,000 by the judge overseeing his civil fraud trial, after violating a limited gag order prohibiting personal attacks on court staffers. The fine comes as Trump made comments about a "person who's very partisan sitting alongside" the judge in the case, Judge Arthur Engoron.

The judge had previously issued a gag order on October 3, after Trump posted on social media, maligning Judge Engoron's principal law clerk who sits beside him in court. Trump was ordered to remove the post, which he complied with, but it remained on his campaign website for several weeks, resulting in a $5,000 fine last Friday.

Trump's defense team argued that his comment on Wednesday was referring to witness Michael Cohen, not the judge's law clerk. Three of Trump's attorneys objected to the fine, claiming that the comment was about Cohen and reiterated their belief that the clerk was biased against Trump.

Meanwhile, Michael Cohen, Trump's former personal attorney, returned to the witness stand on Wednesday. Trump's lawyer, Alina Habba, attempted to undermine Cohen's credibility and question his motives, suggesting that Cohen had sought a job in Trump's White House and harbored significant animosity towards the former president.

In response to Habba's line of questioning, Cohen affirmed that he did have animosity towards Trump and had made a career out of publicly attacking him. Cohen previously pleaded guilty to various charges, including tax evasion, making false statements on a bank loan application, lying to Congress, and making illegal campaign contributions. His testimony is crucial in New York Attorney General Letitia James' civil case against Trump, alleging that he inflated the value of his real estate holdings on financial documents.

During a break in the testimony, Trump complained about Judge Engoron, describing him as a "very partisan judge" and expressing concerns about a "very partisan" person sitting alongside him. This remark raised questions about whether Trump had violated the gag order imposed earlier in the trial.

Judge Engoron expressed his disappointment regarding Trump's latest comment and considered severe sanctions for the violation. However, Trump's defense team argued that he was referring to Cohen, not the judge's law clerk. The judge said he would consider the matter and testimony resumed.

The trial, focused on allegations of civil fraud, continues as Trump faces multiple legal challenges. He is expected to testify later in the trial, voluntarily attending several days of the proceedings so far. Cohen is also anticipated to be a key witness in a criminal trial against Trump, scheduled for next spring, where he is accused of falsifying business records.

The ongoing cases against Trump in New York, Florida, Georgia, and Washington mark significant legal battles for the former president, who continues to maintain his innocence and alleges that these prosecutions are politically motivated.