In a recent ruling that has sent shockwaves through the business and political spheres, Judge Arthur Engoron handed down a verdict in the civil fraud lawsuit targeting former President Donald Trump. The judgment includes a staggering fine of $364 million levied against the GOP leader and his family’s business empire for allegations of inflating asset values.
Moreover, Trump faces a three-year ban from serving as a director of any state-licensed business, adding a significant constraint to his business activities. In the aftermath of this landmark decision, Trump’s attorney, Alina Habba, made an appearance on Fox News, speaking with Martha MacCallum. During this segment, MacCallum raised a probing question about the financial implications of the judgment for Trump, specifically inquiring whether the former president would be compelled to liquidate “almost all if not all” of his New York assets to cover the bond required for appealing the fraud case.
Habba’s response underscored Trump’s financial resilience, stating, “Unfortunately, they picked the wrong guy to pick on in my opinion, because he’s strong, he’s resilient, and he happens to have a lot of cash.” Habba elaborated on the process involved in posting the bond for the appeal, as reported by Mediaite, clarifying that the full amount, plus additional sums, would need to be secured within 30 days should they decide to proceed with the appeal, a step they fully intend to take.
She broke down the financial burdens imposed by the ruling, highlighting that both individual defendants and the company itself were fined, cumulatively nearing the $400 million mark—a sum she argues is unjustified given Trump’s innocence in the matter. Habba vehemently argued against the perceived intentions behind the lawsuit, suggesting that it aims to financially cripple Trump and his business endeavors.
She described the fine as disproportionately large, likening it to revenues that some countries generate in a year across certain industries. Habba criticized the rationale behind the fine, pointing out the absurdity of penalizing someone for allegedly understating financial statements to institutions like Deutsche Bank in Zurich, which continue to conduct business with Trump.
Concluding her interview, Habba confidently dismissed the possibility of any significant turmoil for the Trump Organization resulting from this legal battle. She implied that while causing such mayhem might have been the objective of Letitia James and Judge Engoron, such an outcome is unlikely to materialize, reinforcing the resilience and enduring nature of Trump’s business empire despite the legal and financial challenges it currently faces.
