Trump in panic mode as bond deadline looms

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Former President Donald Trump is in panic mode as the deadline for the nearly half-a-billion-dollar bond to appeal his civil fraud case in New York approaches, according to a Trump ally and two campaign sources.

In a filing Monday, Trump’s attorneys said securing a bond by next week’s deadline was “a practical impossibility,” despite “approaching about 30 surety companies through 4 separate brokers.” Chubb underwrote the $91.6 million bond to cover the E. Jean Carroll judgment, and Trump had been counting on them to come through again. The insurance giant informed his attorneys in the last several days that that option was off the table.

Trump’s team has now turned to wealthy supporters to post the bond on the former president’s behalf and are also evaluating what assets could be sold quickly.

New York state Judge Arthur Engoron’s ruling in Trump’s civil fraud trial was made official on February 23, starting the clock on a 30-day automatic stay of the judgment. That period is set to expire on March 25, after which, New York Attorney General Letitia James could start seizing Trump’s bank accounts or properties unless an appeals court steps in.

Sources have said that Trump is very concerned about the optics of a billionaire developer facing a financial crisis and missing the deadline would present. Trump has continued to privately lash out at New York Attorney General Letitia James and Judge Arthur Engoron over the matter, these sources added.