Former President Donald Trump is expected to attend his civil fraud trial in New York on Thursday, where his defense will call its final expert witness. Trump has been present for the trial on eight previous occasions, including when he testified on November 6. During his testimony that day, he clashed with Judge Arthur Engoron, straying from questions and receiving reprimands. The trial revolves around allegations that Trump, his two sons, and their company participated in a decade-long fraud scheme involving misrepresentations of Trump's wealth. They are accused of using these misrepresentations to obtain favorable rates on loans and insurance. All defendants have denied any wrongdoing. New York Attorney General Letitia James is seeking to recover $250 million for the state and impose sanctions that would severely limit the defendants' ability to conduct business in New York. Trump has been at odds with both James and Judge Engoron throughout the trial. He criticized James in court on November 6, stating that she "should be ashamed of herself." Trump also published a social media post attacking the judge's law clerk, leading to a limited gag order being imposed. Trump violated the gag order twice, resulting in $15,000 in fines. Three of Trump's children, Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump, and Ivanka Trump, have also testified during the trial. Ivanka Trump was originally a defendant but had the allegations against her dismissed due to the statute of limitations. On Thursday, the defense will call accounting professor Eli Bartov from New York University to testify about the role of property valuations in financial statements central to the fraud case. Donald Trump himself is scheduled to be the final witness for his own defense on Monday, December 11.

Despite his busy schedule campaigning for the 2024 presidential race and defending himself against criminal cases, former President Donald Trump continues to pay close attention to his civil fraud trial in New York. The trial has been ongoing for over two months and is examining Trump's net worth and real estate empire. If found guilty, the trial could prevent him from conducting business in his home state. The lawsuit, filed by New York Attorney General Letitia James, accuses Trump, his company, and certain executives of misleading banks and insurers by inflating the values of assets such as Trump Tower and Mar-a-Lago. The inflated values were used to secure deals, including loans at favorable interest rates. Trump denies any wrongdoing and claims that the financial statements actually underestimated his wealth. He has also criticized James and Judge Arthur Engoron, both Democrats, accusing them of partisan abuse of power. Trump has been vocal about the case on his Truth Social platform, posting comments such as "Happy Banks and Insurance Companies, NO VICTIMS, GREAT FINANCIAL STATEMENTS, Perfect Disclaimer Clause - BUT A CORRUPT ATTORNEY GENERAL AND JUDGE!!!".

Although not required to attend the trial when he is not testifying, Trump has made a point of being present to make public statements and address the media. He often stops to speak in the hallway outside the courtroom, where cameras are not allowed. This has resulted in fines totaling $10,000 for violating a gag order that prohibits participants from commenting on court staff. Trump's lawyers are appealing this order. In response, James has attended court on the days when Trump is present and made her own remarks on social media and outside the courthouse. The trial has been marked by claims of conspiracy, insurance fraud, and falsifying business records. Judge Engoron ruled before the trial that Trump and the other defendants engaged in fraud and ordered a receiver to take control of some of Trump's properties. However, an appeals court has temporarily halted this order. James is seeking over $300 million in penalties and a prohibition on Trump and the other defendants conducting business in New York. Testimony is expected to conclude before Christmas, with closing arguments scheduled for January. Judge Engoron aims to make a decision by the end of that month.