Donald Trump has met the $175m bond requirement in his New York civil fraud case late Monday, pausing the enforcement of the staggering $464m in penalties he faces following his company’s conviction for falsely inflating asset values to deceive banks and insurers over a decade.
The overdue bond payment stopped state officials from confiscating Mr. Trump’s assets to settle the judgment.
Concurrently, the judge in the Republican presidential contender’s hush money trial has intensified his gag order after Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg raised concerns over Mr. Trump’s ongoing and “vitriolic” attacks on the judge’s family.
New York Supreme Court judge Juan Merchan emphasized the defendant’s remarks pose a “very real” threat to the trial’s integrity.
In other news, Mr. Trump’s Truth Social’s parent company saw its value drop by 20 percent on Nasdaq following an SEC report indicating a $58m loss in 2023.
After recently going public, Trump Media & Technology Group experienced a turbulent start, with shares peaking at $79 each on Thursday before dropping to $48.66.
Don, somewhat reluctantly, announced he has paid his $175m bond in time, all the while taking another jab at Judge Arthur Engoron, state attorney general Letitia James, and “the sadly failing and very troubled State of New York”.
This Monday, thousands of children and families will converge on the White House South Lawn for the annual Egg Roll, a tradition marred this year by false accusations from Republican figures alleging the Biden administration banned religious themes from the event’s art contest — ignoring the nearly 50-year-old policy.
Katie Hawkinson reports:
Religious imagery has been excluded from the White House’s Easter event since 1978
Donald Trump is facing backlash after sharing a video on social media featuring Maga-branded trucks, one of which depicted President Joe Biden bound and kidnapped.
The video, posted on Truth Social with minimal commentary, showcases two trucks adorned with “Trump 2024” flags, including a controversial image of a restrained President Biden.
Stuti Mishra reports:
Trump’s shared video displays a bound image of President Biden on a truck
Donald Trump and eight co-defendants in the Georgia election interference case are challenging a judge’s decision to retain Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis on the case.
Their Friday appeal claims Ms. Willis’s involvement could lead to trial errors and public distrust in the judicial process.
Ariana Baio reports:
Former president and co-defendants insist on the prosecutor’s exclusion for the trial’s integrity
Saturday Night Live humorously tackled Donald Trump’s idea to sell bibles in its Easter-themed opening, featuring James Austin Johnson as Trump promoting his own branded bibles for $60. Describing it as both a joke and a reality, Johnson’s Trump claims his favorite bible part is “probably the ending”.
A temporary bond shields New York from executing a $464m judgment against the former president and his associates
Manhattan’s accusations target the former president for his attempt to derail the trial with his contentious remarks.
Io Dodds reports.
Judge Juan Merchan concurs that Trump’s online posts endanger the trial’s fairness
After a sensational Nasdaq debut last week, the stock of Donald Trump’s media company plummeted Monday following a revealing post-merger financial report.
Truth Social’s parent company, Trump Media & Technology Group, saw a significant value drop after an early Monday SEC filing showed just $4.1m in 2023 revenue against $58.2m losses.
Eric Garcia reflects on the balancing act Speaker Johnson faces, navigating between governance and appeasing his conference’s radical elements, highlighting the intricate dance of political leadership.
Eric Garcia pens:
For each governance act, the Speaker performs an outrageous stunt to appease the far-right faction, avoiding the fate of his predecessors.
