New York, New York – Former President Donald Trump wrapped up his second day in court on Tuesday for his civil fraud trial in New York, seizing again on the media exposure to amplify claims he is the victim of a political witch hunt. He was then berated for an insulting social media post and slapped with a limited gag order.

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The 77-year-old, who is facing legal battles on multiple fronts, has arrived to court each day denouncing in his trademark combativeness what he says is a rigged and fraudulent trial.

On Tuesday he lashed out at New York Attorney General Letitia James, who is leading the case against him, calling her "very corrupt" and "grossly incompetent," before entering the chamber where he could eventually be barred from doing business in the state.

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James is suing for $250 million in penalties and the removal of Trump and two of his sons from management of the Trump Organization family empire.

Justice Arthur Engoron has already ruled that Trump and his sons Eric and Don Jr. committed fraud by inflating the value of the real estate and financial assets of the Trump Organization for years.

On Tuesday the Republican watched the proceedings, which are in a technical phase, often scowling or looking on wearily. Earlier in the day, Trump’s campaign team circulated an email ripping the judge as a "far-left Democrat."

Before the trial convened for its afternoon session, Justice Engoron reprimanded Trump for an insulting social media post about a court clerk and verbally issued a gag order for all parties to not comment on his staff.

In the post presumably published from the courthouse, Trump shared a photo of Judge Engoron’s clerk, Allison Greenfield, with New York Senator Chuck Schumer. The caption referred to her as "Schumer’s girlfriend" and said she was "running the case against me." The post also included a link to Greenfield’s Instagram account.

The judge said he had gone too far this time.

"This morning, one of the defendants posted to a social media account a disparaging, untrue and personally identifying post about a member of my staff," Engoron said.

"Personal attacks on members of my court staff are unacceptable and inappropriate, and I will not tolerate them," he added. "Failure to abide by this order will result in very serious sanctions."

Trump's post has since been removed.

The clear frontrunner in the Republican presidential primary, Trump was not required to attend the first two days in court but chose to do so.

This time, he is not letting the opportunity to publicly frame himself as a victim slip by.

"I want to watch this witch hunt myself," he told reporters on Monday.

Trump has previously denounced the New York case as a "sham" intended to torpedo his bid to recapture the White House next year and on Monday called James, who is African American, "racist."

He faces criminal charges in four different cases, with trials set to take place in 2024 – some in the middle of the Republican Party primaries.