Former President Trump was "cursing audibly" at one point during today's direct examination of Stormy Daniels, according to a transcript of a sidebar conversation that was released following court.

"I understand that your client is upset at this point, but he is cursing audibly, and he is shaking his head visually and that's contemptuous.
It has the potential to intimidate the witness and the jury can see that," Judge Juan Merchan told Trump's attorney during the sidebar, according to the transcript.

"I will talk to him," said Trump attorney Todd Blanche.

"So, I am speaking to you here at the bench because I don't want to embarrass him," Merchan said. "You need to speak to him. I won't tolerate that."

"I will talk to him," Blanche replied.

Following a subsequent break, reporters heard Judge Merchan ask Blanche whether he had spoken to his client, but at the time it wasn't clear what the judge was referring to.

Daniels' testimony included a graphic description of her alleged sexual encounter with Trump in 2006.

Former President Trump, on his way out of court, slammed the proceedings as "a disaster for the DA."

"This was a very big day, a very revealing day," Trump told reporters. "As you see, their case is totally falling apart."

"They have nothing on the books and records and even something that should bear very little relationship to the case," he said.

"It is just a disaster for the DA," said the former president.

-ABC News' Kelsey Walsh and Mike Pappano

Judge Merchan has ended the proceedings for the day.

Former President Trump was conferring with his attorney when Stormy Daniels passed by the defense table on her way out of the courtroom, and she and Trump did not appear to acknowledge each other.

Court is off tomorrow, with Daniels' cross-examination scheduled to resume at 9:30 a.m. ET on Thursday.

Defense attorney Susan Necheles, resuming her cross-examination of Stormy Daniels following a break, raised the defense claim that Donald Trump was the victim of extortion.

"You were looking to extort money from President Trump, right?" Necheles asked.

"False," Daniels replied.

"That's what you did, right?" Necheles insisted.

"False," Daniels responded.

On occasion, Daniels has been hesitant to answer questions during the cross-examination, especially when Necheles quickly presents an exhibit to jurors.

"You want me to comment on something when I don't know the context, and that is not fair," Daniels said at one point.

Penguin Random House VP Sally Franklin continued reading quotes from another Trump book, intended by prosecutors to show in Trump's own words how he allegedly handles his finances.

"I always try to read my bills to make sure I'm not being over charged," an excerpt said.

"Periodically I ask my financial department for what I call my financial small shot," one book read. "If i didn't check up on it regularly, I would be in big financial trouble."

"And I would have no one to blame but myself," the book said.

Jurors appeared engaged as the former president's book covers flashed across the monitors in front of them.

Several jurors were following along as Franklin read the excerpts.

"Always look at the numbers yourself," Franklin read from another book.

Another one said, "For me, there is nothing worse than a computer signing checks. When people see your signature at the bottom of the check, they know you're watching them and they screw you less."

And another one from Trump's book "Think Like a Billionaire": "Always question invoices."

Trump, sitting at the defense table, appeared engaged -- watching Franklin as she read his own words back to the court and intermittently exchanging whispers and notes with attorney Todd Blanche, seated to his left.

Blanche concluded a short cross-examination by emphasizing that Franklin only read from selected pages from a small portion of Trump's books.