Eric Trump scraps plan to give fraud trial testimony as judge refuses delay for his father

Eric Trump suddenly ditched plans to testify Wednesday in his family's $250 million fraud trial in a move legal analyst Lisa Rubin says could be a delay tactic for his gag-ordered dad.

Rubin shared news with MSNBC Tuesday that Eric would not appear as scheduled in the New York City civil courtroom where he and former President Donald Trump stand accused of fraudulently inflating Trump Organization assets.

"We don't know what happened," Rubin said. "We know that court is going to be dark tomorrow."

Eric and Donald Trump are among just three witnesses left in the defense's rebuttal case, which saw a setback in the form of a reinstated gag order against the former president, Rubin notes.

"Whether he can take the stand without violating that gag order is something I'm really interested in," Rubin said.

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That's why Rubin asked Trump attorney Chris Kise Monday whether he would try to delay Trump's testimony until the order received further appellate review, she said — a move he did make and was swiftly rebutted.

"You're smart enough to know how that's going to go, I don't think so," Kise replied, according to Rubin "And yet, notwithstanding that ... Kise did exactly that."

Trump's legal team Monday tried to appeal the gag order, instituted after he attacked Justice Arthur Engoron's clerk on social media, but without success, Raw Story reported at the time.