Trump can pay smaller bond in civil fraud case as judge sets April date for hush money trial

Donald Trump praised the appeals court ruling, which has given him 10 more days to post his bond as the former president appeals the civil fraud judgment against him and cut the amount necessary to $175 million.

Outside of his separate hush money case hearing in New York, Trump remarked on the ruling, saying he "greatly" respects the decision of the court.

The former president said he would post the $175 million "in cash or bonds or security or whatever is necessary very quickly within the 10 days."

As he left the courtroom at the conclusion of Monday's hearing Trump added, "It will be my honor to post." Trump then said he will use cash for collateral, when questioned by a reporter.

Trump also attacked Judge Arthur Engoron, who ruled that the former president needed to pay the full $464 million judgment, in the civil fraud case.

"What he's done is such a disservice and should never be allowed to happen. New York state is being battered by his decision," Trump said. He added, "Judge Engoron is a disgrace to this country."

CNN's Kristina Sgueglia and Nicki Brown contributed reporting to this post.

The New York appeals court ruling Monday staves off the prospect, for now, of New York Attorney General Letitia James seeking to seize the former president’s property to enforce the judgment against him.

Donald Trump had been struggling to come up with the means to post the $464 million bond as he appeals, a figure that is now cut to $175 million.

But it also means James will face a significant delay for the appeals court to take up Trump's appeal.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the New York attorney general said:

The New York appeals court's order in former President Donald Trump's civil fraud trial means that Trump and his sons can still run a business in New York and obtain loans from New York financial institutions for the moment.

The appeals court's order gives Trump 10 more days to post his bond to satisfy the civil fraud judgment and cut the amount necessary to $175 million.

Judge Arthur Engoron's court-ordered monitor and the appointment of a compliance director for Trump's company will remain in place, however.

Judge Juan Merchan seems dubious of former President Donald Trump's claims that federal prosecutors purposely withheld evidence.

“It’s odd that we’re even here," Merchan said.

The hearing is in a recess until noon ET.

Just as the recess came, the New York appeals court gave Trump a major victory, cutting the bond needed in the civil fraud case from $464 million to $175 million and gave him an extra 10 days to find the cash.

#Hush Money Case##

A New York appeals court has given Donald Trump 10 more days to post his bond as he appeals the civil fraud judgment against him and cut the amount necessary to $175 million.

It's a major lifeline for the former president, who, along with his adult sons and his company, were fined more than $464 million, including interest, after Judge Arthur Engoron found Trump and his co-defendants fraudulently inflated the value of his assets.

The ruling staves off the prospect, for now, of New York Attorney General Letitia James seeking to seize the former president’s property to enforce the judgment against him.

Trump had been struggling to come up with the means to post the full $464 million bond, the total that he would have needed before Monday’s appellate decision.

Judge Juan Merchan appeared skeptical Monday of Donald Trump’s allegations against the Manhattan district attorney over the production of new documents, questioning the accusations that the district attorney’s office acted unethically.

Merchan is holding a hearing Monday to address Trump’s motion for sanctions against the district attorney’s office, including to dismiss the charges, toss out testimony from Michael Cohen and Stormy Daniels and dismiss the trial for at least 90 days.

But during the hearing, the judge peppered Trump attorney Todd Blanche with questions about the allegations, expressing exasperation that Trump’s attorneys couldn’t cite any case law that the district attorney was responsible for what the US Attorney turned over.

Merchan said that Trump’s attorneys were leveling allegations that were "incredibly serious, unbelievably serious" — and it was "disconcerting" the defense couldn’t provide a citation to back it up. The judge also pressed Blanche on why Trump's lawyers didn't ask for the documents more quickly, following the first production of documents were turned over last spring.

Trump’s attorneys subpoenaed the documents from the US Attorney for the Southern District of New York in January, leading to the production of tens of thousands of documents in March that prompted Merchan to postpone the trial, supposed to start today, until at least mid-April.

As Trump attorney Todd Blanche blames the New York District Attorney's office for not pressuring federal prosecutors to turn over additional documents related to Michael Cohen, Judge Juan Merchan is getting impatient.

Merchan asked why Trump's attorneys didn't ask for additional documents from the Southern District of New York after receiving the first production last May.

Blanche, the judge noted, once was a prosecutor in the federal office.

Blanche argues that the DA should have done so — but Merchan disagreed.

"For one, it’s not our job to get it. The statute...," Blanche said.

The judge cut him off, saying, "It’s not the people’s job either."

Judge Juan Merchan is now going after the defense's allegations, raising his voice for the first time in the hearing, saying the fact they don't have a court citation that the NY District Attorney's office was obligated for the US Attorney to turn over documents is "really disconcerting."

The judge has otherwise been calm and level throughout the hearing.

Merchan then asked the defense whether it's their position that the US attorney "knowingly retained information" that should have been turned over to the prosecution when it was requested.

"No, it’s that the people never asked," Trump attorney Todd Blanche responded.

As Blanche and Merchan debate case law, Trump is looking closely to his side at his attorney with his arms folded in front of him.

Trump attorney Todd Blanche suggested the Michael Cohen FBI interviews that the US Attorney's Office turned over are related to the investigation by former special counsel Robert Mueller into Russian interference in the 2016 presidential election.

Judge Juan Merchan said not to bring it up. "That's not relevant, what does that have to do with this case?" Merchan said, adding that he will not allow anything about the Russia investigation in as evidence in this case. "It has nothing to do with this case."

Blanche countered that the FBI discussed what Cohen was doing with Trump before Trump took office, which he argues could be relevant. Cohen paid the hush money to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 campaign.

Blanche said the interviews with Cohen from the Mueller investigation address relevant topics like the allegations in this case and the Access Hollywood tape.