Trump back in court for second day of New York civil fraud trial

Former President Trump arrived Tuesday at a Manhattan courthouse for the second day of the civil fraud trial against him and his business.

Why it matters: Trump, who was not required to attend the first two hearings, turned Monday into a spectacle, pausing in front of the cameras and excoriating the judge who will rule on the fate of his business.

Driving the news: The New York judge overseeing the case issued a gag order on Trump after he made a post on his Truth Social account attacking the judge's law clerk.

• New York Judge Arthur Engoron ordered the post to be deleted on Tuesday and said that "personal attacks on members on my court staff are unacceptable, inappropriate, and I won't tolerate them."

Zoom in: Donald Bender, Trump's longtime accountant, testified for James' team on Tuesday, according to CNN.

• Eric Trump also appeared Monday at the lower Manhattan courthouse before opening statements began, per reports.
• Trump and his three eldest children — Don Jr., Eric and Ivanka — are all listed as witnesses and could testify in the trial.
• Trump publicly acknowledged Tuesday he intends to testify.

State of play: James filed a civil lawsuit last year accusing Trump and members of his family of financial fraud. She is seeking $250 million in damages.

• She alleged that Trump and people working for him inflated his net worth by as much as $3.6 billion between 2011 and 2021.

What to watch: New York Judge Arthur Engoron, who is overseeing the case, ruled last week that Trump committed fraud by exaggerating his net worth on financial records.

• Engoron said Monday that he expects the trial to last until Dec. 22, CNN reports.

Go deeper: Donald Trump's civil fraud trial: What to know

Editor's note: This story was updated with additional information from Tuesday's hearing.