Former President Donald Trump began a critical day in his ongoing legal battle by assailing the judge and prosecutors in his New York fraud trial amid a significant hearing on the Stormy Daniels hush money case and risks to his property assets. Trump lashed out against "crooked" politicians and the legal system, describing the cases against him as "rigged" and denouncing a $454 million New York court judgment that jeopardizes his properties, which he refers to as his "babies." He labeled the entire situation a "witch hunt" and a "hoax" during brief comments at the Manhattan criminal court.