The One Word Trump Used To Describe How He'll Pay $175M Fraud Bond

If, like many of us, you've been wondering what will happen if Donald Trump can't pay his hefty fraud trial fine, he is once again asserting that this will not be a problem. During a press conference on Monday, March 25, Trump took his claims that he will have no issue paying his fine one step further. He said he would be paying in cash. 

Trump's behavior was on-brand during the entirety of his fraud trial, and just because time is running out for him to pay his fine, that doesn't mean that he is no longer doubling down. At the end of the press conference, Trump thanked those who were present to hear him speak before turning around to leave. As he walked away, one reporter asked, "What's your collateral for the bond?" Trump turned around just long enough to answer, "Cash" (via X). This is a pretty difficult promise to follow through on, but the former president claims that he will do so "very quickly," per Forbes.

Donald Trump was first hit with the massive fine, as well as a business ban during his fraud trial back in February 2024. He was originally ordered to pay a $454.2 million bond payment. New York Attorney General Letitia James gave him until March 18 to make the payment and told ABC News, "If he does not have funds to pay off the judgment, then we will seek judgment enforcement mechanisms in court, and we will ask the judge to seize his assets." 

On March 25, an appeals court ordered that Trump could pay a little less money and have a little more time to get it together. The presidential hopeful now has ten days to pay a partial bond of $175 million. While this is certainly a much easier price to pay for the time being than what he was expecting, it is still an unarguably hefty sum. Should he not be able to pay within the new timeframe, James intends to seize some of the properties Trump owns, as well as his Wall Street skyscraper. 

While Donald Trump now only owes $175 million for the time being, that does not mean that he is off the hook for the $454.2 million. He may still have to pay the remaining money later, in which case he claims that he will "have to start selling things," according to Forbes. This would also mean that he would have less money to spend on his 2024 presidential campaign. When asked if this would prompt him to spend his own money on his campaign, he replied, "I might do that," adding, "It's none of your business," per NBC.

All in all, since the beginning of 2024, Trump's presidential campaign has reportedly already spent nearly $2 million on legal fees. Of course, if Trump is worried about what might transpire within the next ten days or what it might mean as the presidential race continues to heat up, he is not letting the public know that. At his press conference, he declared, "I have a lot of cash and a great company," adding, "I might spend a lot of money on my campaign."