Former President Trump’s attorney Alina Habba responded to claims that he could be seeking foreign sources to pay his massive legal fees, but she said Wednesday she “can’t speak” about the strategy.
Rumors about the future of Trump’s businesses are circulating as he attempts to pay the $454 million due in his New York civil fraud case just days before the deadline. Trump critics question whether the former president might secure the funds from an outside source, such as Saudi Arabia or Russia.
“Well, there’s rules and regulations that are public. I can’t speak about strategy; that requires certain things, and we have to follow those rules,” Habba told Fox News’s Martha MacCallum on Wednesday.
“Like I said, this is manifest injustice. It is impossible. It is an impossibility. I believe they knew that,” she continued, referring to the bond amount.
Trump’s legal team indicated in court Monday that it would be “impossible” for them to secure the money he owes. His attorneys said they spent “countless hours” negotiating with “one of the largest insurance companies in the world” and approached 30 companies to secure a full bond for the case.
A New York judge ordered Trump to pay nearly $355 million plus interest in penalties last month, after concluding he conspired to lie about his net worth to get better tax and insurance benefits. The total sum is more than $454 million now because it climbs nearly $112,000 in interest each day.
Habba argued the “ridiculous amount of money” was set “intentionally” and said Trump’s other legal battles, specifically his election interference cases, were “ringing steady and loudly and true” throughout the trial.
“And we’re seeing it — it’s the demise of our country, not the demise of Trump,” she said. “So, we’ll handle it as we always have and keep our heads up and keep working hard.”
Trump faces a Monday deadline to secure a bond or pay the sum in full. If he fails to meet the deadline, New York Attorney General Letitia James (D), who originally brought forth the fraud case against Trump, said she may seize some of his assets.