As I write this, Donald Trump has four days to post a $454 million bond if he wants to appeal the civil fraud judgment imposed on him by a New York state judge. Earlier this week, Trump, through his lawyers, dropped a bombshell—he was unable to find anyone willing to back such a massive bond. If Trump can’t come up with the money, New York attorney general Letitia James will have the right to seize his assets in order to satisfy the judgment. Indeed, on Thursday, James filed paperwork that would theoretically allow her to seize two of his crown jewel properties in Westchester County—Trump National Golf Club Westchester in Briarcliff Manor and the Seven Springs estate in Bedford.
Well, early Friday morning, Trump himself may have sabotaged his own lawyers’ efforts. Former prosecutor and current MSNBC legal analyst Renato Mariotti discovered that Trump took to Truth Social to claim he has $500 million on hand.
Remember, this came four days after Trump’s own lawyers claimed it would be a “practical impossibility” to come up with $454 million in one go. And yet Trump claims he has that money, plus $46 million to spare? Which is it, Mr. Trump?
We already know that Trump essentially talked himself into coughing up $88 million (so far) to E. Jean Carroll. But Trump may have talked himself into an even bigger hole. If the judge tells Trump to put up or shut up, James will have a green light to essentially dismantle his real estate empire.