Internet divided as Alina Habba says Trump has enough cash to post bond on $355M ruling in NY fraud trial

NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK: Donald Trump's lawyer, Alina Habba, announced that the former president will post bond on the eye-popping $355 million judgment against him in his New York fraud trial.

The ruling, delivered by Judge Arthur Engoron in a scathing 92-page order on Friday, February 16, criticized the ex-POTUS for showing no remorse. Including interest, the total payments are supposed to surpass $450 million.

This comes on the heels of another court ordering Trump to pay $83 million to E Jean Carroll over her defamation suit.

While the White House hopeful claims to have over $400 million in cash, doubts remain about his ability to raise the funds through his real estate ventures.

Alina Habba calls Judge Arthur Engoron's $355 million ruling a 'scare tactic'

On Monday, February 19, Habba told Fox News, "I would never get into anything privileged. I can tell you what the rules are. Within 30 days, even if we choose to appeal this, we have to post the bond, which is the full amount, and then some. We will be prepared to do that."

According to the Daily Mail, bond agents generally charged nine percent to put up the money as a form of insurance. 

Trump faces the challenge of obtaining the bond, especially with Engoron appointing an additional independent monitor to oversee his company and imposing a three-year ban on him from managing any company in New York State.

Habba criticized the ruling shortly after ex-POTUS expressed his frustration online and during campaign events.

She said, "You're looking at roughly let's call it close to $400 million for something that he did nothing wrong. What they're trying to do between this case and my last case is put him out of business."

"It's not going to work," noted Habba, calling it a "scare tactic," and asserted, "He's strong. He's resilient, and he happens to have a lot of cash. It's insane." 

Habba did not confirm whether Trump would need to sell off assets to meet the financial obligation.

The ex-POTUS' estimated net worth exceeds $2 billion, primarily tied up in various partnerships and intricate real estate ventures both domestic and international.

New York Attorney General Letitia James reported his liquid assets at $93 million in 2020. During a deposition related to a lawsuit brought by her, Trump claimed to have $400 million in cash, which he deemed significant for a developer.

Habba's statement followed her earlier characterization of Friday's ruling as a "manifest injustice."

In a statement to Newsweek, she claimed, "This verdict is a manifest injustice—plain and simple. It is the culmination of a multi-year, politically fueled witch hunt that was designed to 'take down Donald Trump,' before Letitia James ever stepped foot into the Attorney General's office. Countless hours of testimony proved that there was no wrongdoing, no crime, and no victim."

"Given the grave stakes, we trust that the Appellate Division will overturn this egregious verdict and end this relentless persecution against my clients. Let me make one thing perfectly clear: this is not just about Donald Trump—if this decision stands, it will serve as a signal to every single American that New York is no longer open for business," declared Habba. 

Internet reacts to Alina Habba's statement regarding Donald Trump's ability to post bond over the $355 million judgment

As expected, Habba's latest comments on Trump's financial situation caused a stir on social media.

One quipped, "According to Trump, he has a 'gwizillion' dollars which is a lot according to my 3-year-old," and another said, "What's he going to appeal ...they falsified property sizes, values, assets. Does that magically change on appeal?"

On the other hand, a person sympathized, "Tens of millions of us would contribute to a bona fide fund to help Trump fight these illegal witch-hunts," while someone else noted, "If you listen closely you can hear the remaining businesses in NY packing up and leaving."

"Quit doing business with cities like this. These people hate your guts," expressed one more. 

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.