Former President Donald Trump is set to make an appearance at Sneaker Con in Philadelphia this weekend following a final ruling in his civil fraud trial in New York. The trial, overseen by Judge Arthur Engoron, concluded with Trump being ordered to pay approximately $355 million in penalties. Additionally, Trump along with Allen Weisselberg and Jeff McConney have been barred from serving as officers or directors of any New York corporation for three years. Donald Jr. and Eric Trump were also ordered to each pay over $4 million and banned from doing business in the state for two years.

Trump, who maintains his innocence and claims the case is politically motivated, plans to appeal the judge's ruling. Despite the legal challenges, the former president announced his attendance at Sneaker Con, a renowned sneaker event, in Philadelphia on Saturday, followed by a campaign rally in Michigan. The event allows attendees to buy, sell, and trade rare and coveted sneakers, but organizers have not confirmed Trump's appearance.

The visit to Pennsylvania, a crucial swing state in the upcoming 2024 presidential election, comes as Trump and President Joe Biden are projected to face each other in a rerun of the 2020 election. Recent polls suggest a close race between the two candidates, with Trump leading by a slim margin. Trump, using his Truth Social platform, criticized the ruling in his civil fraud case as a "witch hunt" and labeled it as election interference. In contrast, New York Attorney General Letitia James hailed the ruling as a "massive victory", asserting that "no one is above the law, not even Donald Trump."

As the political landscape unfolds leading to the 2024 election, the former president's public appearances continue to draw attention and speculation regarding his future political ambitions.