On Wednesday, Alina Habba was questioned about whether Donald Trump was actively seeking to secure his New York civil fraud bond from foreign entities. There has been speculation that the former president might explore options abroad to cover the $454 million in penalties.
The former president is rapidly approaching a deadline on Monday to provide a financial guarantee for his entire bond amount. This requirement is a result of a lawsuit filed against him by New York Attorney General Letitia James. Failure to meet this obligation may lead state prosecutors to take action by enforcing the judgment, which could involve seizing Trump’s assets and real estate properties.
During an interview with Fox News’ Martha MacCallum on Wednesday afternoon, Habba, Trump’s lead defense counsel, expressed his strong disagreement with the $454 million in penalties imposed. He criticized the ruling made by New York State Supreme Court Justice Arthur Engoron, who found Trump, his two adult sons, and other individuals connected to The Trump Organization responsible for deceiving lenders and insurance companies in order to secure more favorable conditions. According to Habba, the amount of the penalties is “completely ridiculous.”
“It is clear that there is a deliberate attempt to interfere in the election, with the intention of causing harm to President Trump and undermining his company. This is an attack on both an individual and a family whose private enterprise has had a lasting impact on the iconic New York City skyline,” emphasized Habba.
According to Trump, he is innocent and plans to appeal the ruling. This would mean adding an extra $10 million to his total bond amount. Additionally, he is currently the presumptive GOP nominee for the 2024 presidential election.
MacCallum also inquired whether Trump’s defense team had made any attempts to secure the full bond amount “through another country,” such as Saudi Arabia or Russia, according to Habba.
Habba responded that there are public rules and regulations that he cannot discuss. He mentioned that speaking about strategy requires certain procedures to be followed, and they must adhere to those rules.
Critics of the former president have expressed concerns about the potential national security implications of Trump’s mounting debt in his legal cases. There are worries about who or what entities might agree to post the bond. Trump’s lawyers recently filed a court document stating that they have requested over 30 companies to cover the bond, but all of these requests have been denied.
According to national security lawyer Mary McCord, there could be numerous individuals and entities who are interested in providing bail for him. McCord mentioned that these entities could include foreign entities, specifically Russian oligarchs, as well as individuals and companies within the United States.
According to McCord, it is highly risky when discussing a presidential candidate or an elected official who may have financial obligations or a sense of indebtedness towards others.
In a recent post on X, Democratic Congressman Sean Casten expressed his concerns about the potential legal consequences that former President Trump may face. Casten highlighted Trump’s desperate position in seeking assistance to cover his bond, emphasizing that this makes him a significant national security risk. He further added that any foreign adversary looking to influence a President would know the price they have to pay.
On Wednesday, Newsweek reached out to Trump’s campaign to gather their comment on the speculation surrounding his bond.
After losing the civil suit to E. Jean Carroll, who accused him of defamation and sexual assault, Trump managed to secure a $91.6 million bond. Despite facing two jury verdicts that found him guilty of defaming the former magazine columnist, Trump continues to assert his innocence.