Trump owes another $110,000 for refusing to comply with a subpoena in the civil fraud case and $15,000 for repeatedly disparaging a judge's clerk in violation of a gag order. As part of Friday's ruling, the judge also ordered each of Trump's children to pay $4 million each.
Trump's court-ordered debts don't end there. Last month, he was ordered to pay nearly $400,000 in legal fees New York times After unsuccessfully suing the newspaper. He is currently appealing a $938,000 judgment against him and his attorney for filing what the judge called a “frivolous” lawsuit against Hillary Clinton.
E. Jean Carroll leaves court after receiving damages.credit: AP
Is it permissible for him to reduce some of these provisions?
It is not uncommon for judgment sizes, especially high dollar amounts, to be reduced on appeals.
The appeal in Trump's civil fraud case will go to a mid-level court first. If it issues an unfavorable ruling, Trump could try to take the case to the New York Supreme Court of Appeals, although legal experts say that is unlikely.
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How fast does Trump have to push?
Trump has already deposited $5 million owed to Carroll in the first defamation case into a court-controlled account, plus $500,000 in additional interest required by New York law. Carroll will not be able to access the funds until the appeals process is complete.
He may soon have to do the same for the $83.3 million judgment in Carroll's second. Alternatively, he could take out a bond and pay only part of it up front — although this option will come with interest and fees and will likely require some form of collateral. Trump will have to find a financial institution willing to give him money.
In a civil fraud case, it will be up to the courts to determine how much Trump must pay during his appeal. He may be required to pay the full amount immediately after the appeals court rules, which could come as soon as this summer, according to University of Michigan law professor Will Thomas.
Former President Donald Trump speaks after his defense team finished presenting closing arguments at the New York Supreme Court /credit: AP
“The New York judicial system has shown a willingness to move quickly on some of these Trump cases,” Thomas said. “When we hear from the first appellate court, that is the point at which the money will almost certainly move.”
Can Trump pay?
Trump has claimed to be worth more than $10 billion. Most estimates, including the New York Attorney General's assessment, put that number closer to $2 billion.
In his 2021 financial health statement, Trump said he had just under $300 million in “cash and cash equivalents.” He has since made a number of sales, including his golf course in New York and his hotel in Washington, D.C., and he may also get a windfall soon when his social media company, Truth Social, goes public.
But even with these income streams, it is unclear whether Trump and his family members have enough cash to pay all the money they are now owed.
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Can he use campaign contributions — or political action committee money — for the payment?
Federal election law prohibits the use of campaign funds for personal use. But the rules are murkier when it comes to using political action committees to cover a candidate's expenses.
Over the past two years, Trump's Save America political action committee, his presidential campaign and other affiliated fundraising organizations have allocated $76.7 million in legal fees. Campaign finance experts expect Trump to try to spend his political action committee money to somehow defray the cost of his rulings.
“The likelihood that the FEC as currently constituted will pursue these violations is not very high,” said Daniel Weiner, director of the Elections and Government Program at the Brennan Center.
Can he or his companies declare bankruptcy?
Under the judge's ruling on Friday, Trump will still be liable for the payment even if the Trump Organization declares bankruptcy. If Trump personally declares bankruptcy, the execution of the judgment against him will be temporarily suspended. But political commentators say such a radical step is unlikely.
Although many of his previous companies have gone bankrupt, Trump has repeatedly bragged about the fact that he has never declared bankruptcy personally.
What if Trump simply refused to pay the money?
Legally, Trump would face the same consequences as any American who refuses to pay a legal judgment, including the possibility of his assets being seized and his wages garnished.
“The president is not a king, and the president’s assets are not sacred just because he was the president,” Weiner said.
The judge overseeing Trump's civil fraud case appointed an additional comptroller to oversee the Trump Organization's finances, finding that they could not be trusted to follow the law. If Trump refuses to hand over the payments, the courts will have additional discretion to pursue Trump and his companies.
“They have a tremendous amount of power, especially for someone like Trump who has assets within the country,” said Thomas, the law professor. “The court might say, 'We're going to freeze your bank account.' Or worse, they could say, 'We're seizing Trump Tower and putting it up for sale.'”
