Former President Trump is set to hold a press conference in Manhattan after a New York Appeals Court reduced the bond due in the case brought against him by New York Attorney General Letitia James. The bond has been slashed by more than half to $175 million, which Trump has said he will abide by. This comes after a trial date was set by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg in a separate case where Trump faces charges of falsifying business records in the first degree related to hush-money payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Trump’s press conference is scheduled for 1:00 p.m. at 40 Wall St. following the ruling by the New York Appeals Court. The initial judgment of $464 million set by Judge Arthur Engoron was reduced by the court, with a deadline for Trump to pay the lowered bond within 10 days. Additionally, Trump faced a separate case brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, where the trial was set to begin on April 15 after Merchan denied Trump’s motion to delay the hush-money payments trial. This decision came after the Justice Department provided more than 15,000 records as potential evidence, requiring time for the defense to go through the documents.
The charges against Trump in the case brought by Bragg include 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree, to which Trump has pleaded not guilty. Bragg alleges that Trump fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct during the 2016 presidential election. The charges are related to hush-money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal. Despite federal prosecutors in the Southern District of New York choosing not to charge Trump in 2019 and the Federal Election Commission closing its investigation in 2021, Bragg has pursued legal action against the former president.
The trial in Bragg’s case is set to begin on April 15, with Trump facing allegations of falsifying business records and concealing damaging information from the public during the 2016 presidential election. Following the reduction of the bond due in the case brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James, Trump has committed to paying the $175 million bond within 10 days. This press conference announced by Trump to address these legal proceedings and recent developments may shed light on his future plans and strategies to defend himself against the charges brought by the New York authorities. The complexity and significance of these cases against Trump highlight the continued legal challenges he faces even after leaving office.
