Trump can pay smaller bond in civil fraud case as judge sets April date for hush money trial

Donald Trump scored a roughly 60% discount on the amount of cash he’ll need to pony up to avoid having his assets seized by the state of New York — an outcome that one legal expert said was “highly unusual.” 

A New York appellate court reduced Trump’s bond to $175 million from $464 million, and granted him 10 days to come up with the payment.

But, Epner said it’s not unprecedented, citing the 1980s fight between Texaco and Pennzoil, in which a court reduced Texaco’s bond from more than $10 billion to $1 billion. Texaco ended up filing for bankruptcy in 1987.

Trump, his adult sons and his company were fined more than $464 million, including interest, in the New York civil trial, after Judge Arthur Engoron found Trump and his co-defendants fraudulently inflated the value of his assets.

Correction: This post has been updated with the correct dollar amount of Trump's earlier bond.

Former President Donald Trump said Monday that he would have "no problem" testifying in his criminal hush money trial that is now scheduled to begin next month.

Trump’s New York criminal trial will begin on April 15 with jury selection, Judge Juan Merchan said Monday, after dismissing the former president’s motion to toss out the indictment altogether or delay the trial further.

Despite the set date, Trump cast doubt on whether the trial would take place, saying, "I don't know that you're gonna have the trial. I don't know how you can have a trial like this in the middle of an election, a presidential election."

Asked if he was concerned that a conviction in that trial could cost him the election in November, Trump answered, "Well, it could also make me more popular because the people know it's a scam. It's a Biden trial."

Former President Donald Trump touted that he has "a lot of cash" when asked about the timeline of securing the $175 million bond in the civil fraud case against him.

He went on to say how he would also like to use his cash funds for his reelection bid and claimed, but "they don't want me to use my cash to get reelected."

Asked if he planned to start personal funds into his presidential campaign, Trump responded, "First of all, it's none of your business," before adding, "I might do that. I have the option."

The former president also said he thought it would be possible to borrow money from a foreign government to post a bond in an American trial, but that he wouldn't need to. Pressed by CNN's Kate Sullivan if he would ever accept money from a foreign government to pay, Trump responded, "I don't do that. I mean, I think you'd be allowed to, possibly," remarking that many of the "biggest banks" are outside of the US.

This post has been updated with additional comments from Trump.

Former President Donald Trump claimed that the hush money trial against him in New York is being rushed and called it "election interference."

If the trial goes ahead on April 15, it could be the only of Trump’s criminal trials to take place before the November general election. The trial will have begun a year after the charges were filed.

Trump also argued there should not be a trial during the election and attacked his opponent, President Joe Biden.

Former President Donald Trump is speaking at his 40 Wall Street property in New York following developments in two legal cases against him.

In the hush money case, there was a hearing to address several of Trump’s motions, including one to dismiss the case. The judge denied those motions and ruled the criminal trial would start with jury selection on April 15.

Also on Monday, a New York appeals court ruled Trump must pay a $175 million bond as he appeals the civil fraud judgment against him, instead of the full $464 million judgment, which was due today.

Truth Social owner Trump Media & Technology Group announced Monday its merger with a publicly-traded shell company has closed and trading will begin on Tuesday.

The closing of the merger between Trump Media and Digital World Acquisition Corp. amounts to a multi-billion dollar windfall for former President Donald Trump, who is the chairman and dominant shareholder of the new company.

Trading of the new company under the ticker symbol “DJT” on the Nasdaq Stock Market is set to begin on Tuesday, the companies said.  

News of the merger’s completion propelled shares of Digital World 21% higher on Monday. At current prices, Trump’s stake is valued at $3.5 billion. However, there are lock-up restrictions that would likely prevent Trump from selling or even borrowing against the value of that stock for months. 

Judge Juan Merchan is allowing former President Donald Trump's attorneys in his hush money trial to file a motion Monday on grounds of pretrial publicity and will allow the district attorney’s office one week to respond.

Shortly before the hearing ended, Trump's defense began arguing again for an adjournment over pretrial publicity, saying they were prepared to file a motion on Monday — requesting the delay.

The district attorney's office responded that "pretrial publicity has been caused and exacerbated by the defendant" and said it's prepared to oppose the defense motion if one is allowed.

Earlier, Merchan said the Manhattan district attorney’s office is not at fault for the late production of documents from the US Attorneys' Office.

Details about the timeline: Jury selection will take place the week before Passover and all perspective jurors will be informed court will not convene on any date juror is unable to attend for religious observance. The judge indicated he may adjourn the trial for the start of Passover, which will falls in the second week of trial.

Former President Donald Trump called the hush money case against him a "pure case of voter intimidation and election interference."

He was speaking after a judge ruled on Monday that jury selection will start in the trial on April 15.

If the hush money trial starts in April, it would be the first of Trump’s four criminal trials to begin — and potentially the only one to occur before the presidential election.

Former President Donald Trump's hush money case hearing in New York has ended.

Judge Juan Merchan said the criminal trial against Trump will begin on April 15 with jury selection.

During a hearing Monday, which was attended by Trump, the judge dismissed the former president’s motion to toss out the indictment altogether or delay the trial further.

Trump’s attorneys had sought sanctions against the Manhattan District Attorney’s office after more documents of discovery were turned over.