U.S. District Court Judge William Alsup blasted attorneys for the Trump administration after he said he suspected they were lying and giving him "sham" documents.

At a hearing on Thursday, Alsup became angry after acting Office of Personnel Management (OPM) Director Charles Ezell refused an order to testify on the Trump administration's mass firings. The case was brought in February by the American Federation of Government Employees.

"You will not bring the people in here to be cross-examined. You're afraid to do so because you know cross-examination would reveal the truth," the judge told government lawyers, according to Slate's Mark Joseph Stern.

"I tend to doubt that you're telling me the truth whenever we hear all the evidence eventually. Why can't you bring your people in to be cross-examined or deposed at their convenience?" he continued. "I said two hours for Mr. Ezell. A deposition at his convenience. And you withdrew his declaration rather than do that? Come on. That's a sham. It upsets me, I want you to know that."

"I've been practicing in this court for over 50 years and I know how we get at the truth. And you're not helping me get at the truth. You're giving me press releases, sham documents. I'm getting mad."