The New York judge in charge of Donald Trump’s $250 million civil fraud trial twice ordered the former president’s lawyer to “control your client” as he took the stand on Monday.

Arthur Engoron told defence attorney Chris Kise “this is not a political rally, this is a courtroom” after Mr Trump gave extended answers to questions.

“I beseech you to control him if you can,” Judge Engoron added. “If you can’t, I will.”

The former president earlier claimed the array of legal cases he is facing, both criminal and civil, were part of a campaign by “Trump haters” to undermine him.

Mr Trump, who denies all wrongdoing, testified that his company did not provide accurate estimates of many of his properties in a rambling and defiant performance on the witness stand.

He said his company undervalued his Mar-a-Lago estate and Doral golf course in Florida and overvalued his Trump Tower apartment, among other assets, but sought to minimise the importance of the estimates, which state lawyers said were inflated to win better financing terms.

“It wasn’t important. You’ve made it important, but it wasn’t,” Mr Trump said of the estimates.

Judge Engoron has already ruled those estimates to be fraudulent. New York state lawyers argued in their lawsuit that the estimates misled lenders and insurers, earning him $100 million and exaggerating his wealth by $2 billion.

Mr Trump has repeatedly said the case is a “witch hunt” and has accused Mr Engoron and New York Attorney General Letitia James of being politically biased against him.

He kept up those complaints on the witness stand, where he accused legal authorities of paying unduly close attention to his business after he won the 2016 presidential election.

“I’m sure the judge will rule against me because he always rules against me,” he said.

“This is a very unfair trial,” he added later.

Ms James brushed aside Trump’s attacks.

“At the end of the day, the only thing that matters are the facts and the numbers. The numbers, my friends, don’t lie,” she said outside the courthouse before Trump’s testimony.

Unlike the four criminal cases the frontrunner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination faces, this civil trial does not threaten to put him in prison as he mounts a comeback White House bid.

Mr Trump has sought to take advantage of the legal cases, using them to solicit campaign donations and argue that he is being targeted for his political views.

But the civil fraud case against Trump and his business could undercut his image, cultivated over decades, as a glamorous billionaire who shuttles between elegant resorts and premium golf courses that bear his name.

Ms James is seeking $250 million in fines, as well as restrictions that would prevent Trump and two of his sons, Eric and Donald Jr., from doing business in their home state.

In testimony last week, both sons said they were unfamiliar with the details of the valuation documents. Mr Trump made that argument as well, saying accountants did the bulk of the work.