Former President Donald Trump is set to make an appearance in a Manhattan court on Tuesday morning as the trial continues for New York Attorney General Letitia James' $250 million lawsuit against him.
In a post on his Truth Social platform, the 77-year-old confirmed his presence at the lower Manhattan courthouse for the third week of the trial. The lawsuit alleges that Trump inflated his net worth on financial documents for years to secure favorable loan terms from banks.
While the case is of a civil nature, Trump's attendance is not obligatory, as it would be in a criminal trial.
Donna Kidder, an accountant from the Trump Organization, is slated to provide further testimony on Tuesday regarding the company's accounting practices.
Originally, Trump's court appearance was expected to coincide with the days that his former personal attorney and "fixer" Michael Cohen was scheduled to testify. However, due to medical reasons, Cohen announced a delay in his testimony. Justice Arthur Engoron, presiding over the trial, indicated that Cohen's earliest testimony would be next week.
Trump has consistently criticized the case on social media and in statements to the press, characterizing it as a politically motivated pursuit. He has directed his criticism towards the AG, the judge, and even the judge's clerk, leading Engoron to issue a partial gag order, restricting all parties from making public statements about court staff.
In addition to this civil case, Trump faces limited gag orders in other criminal proceedings, including the Manhattan District Attorney's "hush money" case and the federal Washington DC election interference case.
During the initial three days of the civil fraud trial that Trump attended, his son Eric Trump, who is also a defendant, was present in court. Eric Trump, along with Donald Trump Jr. and Ivanka Trump, are on the AG's list of witnesses expected to testify later in the trial, which is anticipated to extend through December.
Attorney General James has been present for the majority of the trial and has responded to Trump's personal attacks, asserting that he "doesn't care about numbers and facts."
The AG's lawsuit alleges that Trump fabricated financial statements over a decade, inflating his worth by over $3 billion annually, all in an effort to secure better loan and insurance terms and improve his standing on Forbes' list of billionaires.
Facing four separate criminal cases across four states, Trump staunchly denies the allegations in both James' civil case and the criminal charges.