Donald Trump is unable to post a full bond while he appeals a $454.2m (€418m) judgment that was imposed by a judge in New York state’s civil fraud case against him, his lawyers have said.
Instead, Mr Trump wants to secure a $100m (€92m) bond, the lawyers added.
Justice Engoron ruled in a case brought by state Attorney General Letitia James, who accused the former president and his family company of overstating the value of his properties to inflate his net worth and obtain better loan and insurance terms.
Another $112,000 (€103,000) of interest gets added each day.
In a filing with the Appellate Division, a mid-level appeals court, Mr Trump’s lawyers said the “exorbitant and punitive amount of the judgment coupled with an unlawful and unconstitutional blanket prohibition on lending transactions would make it impossible to secure and post a complete bond”.
They said a $100m bond, together with Mr Trump’s “vast” real estate holdings and ongoing oversight by a court-designated monitor for the Trump Organization, would be more than sufficient to secure the judgment.
Mr Trump’s lawyers also sought to temporarily stay enforcement of the judgment during his appeal, saying he would suffer “irreparable harm” if Ms James forced the sale of his real estate assets to raise capital.
Ms James’ office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
A bonding company would be on the hook for any payout if Mr Trump lost his appeal and proved unable to pay.
It might also have difficulty collecting if Mr Trump, the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, reclaimed the White House from Democrat Joe Biden.
He has asked the judge in that case to let him appeal without posting any security, or alternatively by posting at most a $24.5m (€22.5m) unsecured bond.
