Trump returns to Manhattan courthouse for New York civil fraud trial

• Trump has largely limited his in-person court appearances to ones that have been required.

Zoom in: Trump's planned appearance, first reported by The Messenger, was originally set to coincide with the testimony by his former personal lawyer, Michael D. Cohen.

• But Cohen, scheduled to begin his testimony as early as Tuesday, delayed it due to a "pre-existing medical condition." He said that he plans to testify "at the earliest opportunity."
• "Unfortunately, I need to attend to a pre-existing medical condition that impedes my ability to testify this upcoming week," Cohen wrote on X last week.
• Cohen testified to Congress in 2019 that Trump inflated the value of his assets, which is at the core of the civil fraud trial.

The big picture: New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a $250 million lawsuit against Trump last year alleging that he, his associates and the Trump Organization committed fraud by inflating his wealth and assets.

• Trump has made his legal woes a key part of his 2024 presidential campaign and he's seized on the civil fraud trial, making the courthouse an extension of the campaign trail.

Go deeper: Trump's courtroom calendar clashes with 2024 presidential election

Editor's note: This story was updated with a new photo.