Trump has ‘no problem’ testifying in hush money trial after win in bond ruling: Live

Lisa Murkowski’s future in the Republican Party is now publicly in question as the Alaska senator says she is grappling with the reality that her party is set to nominate the twice-impeached former president who faces 91 criminal charges for the presidency.

Ms Murkowski was interviewed by CNN’s Manu Raju on Capitol Hill and said that she wouldn’t be endorsing Mr Trump for president — as most other Republicans on Capitol Hill have already done — in 2024.

She further added that she was “independently minded”, and was asked whether that meant she was considering dropping her party affiliation.

“I am navigating my way through some very interesting political times. Let’s just leave it at that,” she responded.

John Bowden has the full story….

Speaking at 40 Wall Street after a string of rulings made on Monday, Mr Trump discussed the orders, his financial situation — and his willingness to testify in the hush money trial.

When asked if he should have an acquittal in the hush money trial, he said, “I shouldn’t have a trial.” When the reporter said he was having a trial, he replied, “I don’t know if we’re having one,” adding that he plans to appeal.

When asked about whether he would testify in the hush money trial, Mr Trump first said, “I don’t know if you’re going to have a trial. I don’t know if you’ll be able to have a trial in the middle of an election,” he said.

He added that he would have “no problem testifying.” He said, “I didn’t do anything wrong.”

The former president noted that it could make him “more popular” if he’s convicted because the people know that the “Biden trial” is a “scam.”

When a reporter asked about the timing of Mr Trump providing the $175m bond payment, he replied, “I have a lot of cash.” Mr Trump added, “I would also like to use some of my cash to get elected.”

“Now that the bonds have been reduced, will you start putting money into your campaign,” one reporter asked, to which Mr Trump replied, “Yeah, yeah. I mean first of all, it’s none of your business, frankly.”

He added that if he has to pay $500m on a bond, “I wouldn’t have that option, I’d have to start selling things.”

The former president’s already-busy week enjoys yet another thrill: Trump Media & Technology Group, whose flagship product is social networking site Truth Social, will begin trading on the Nasdaq stock market on Tuesday.

Shareholders of Digital World Acquisition Corp., a publicly traded shell company, approved a deal to merge with the Trump’s media business in a Friday vote.

The common stock of Trump Media & Technology Group will trade under the ticker symbol “DJT.”

Former president Donald Trump is set to own most of the combined company — or nearly 79 million shares. Multiply that by Digital World’s closing stock price Friday of $36.94, and the total value of his stake could be nearly $3 billion.

Ahead of the massive bond deadline, social media users came together to coin yet another nickname for the former president: “Don Poorleone.”

The meme uses an image of the iconic Marlon Brando character, Vito Corleone, from “The Godfather“ and adapts his famous line where he vowed to “make him an offer he can’t refuse”.

The Trump meme states: “I made an offer everyone refused.”

Katie Hawkinson has the full story…

Donald Trump has been granted an extra 10 days to pay a $175m bond in the New York fraud case against him, granting the Republican presidential candidate an important reprieve on the day the full $464m judgement against him had been due.

Judge Arthur Engoron ruled last month that Mr Trump must pay $354m in fines and a further $110m plus interest ($464m, all in) after being found liable by a jury of inflating the value of Trump Organization assets between 2011 and 2021 in order to obtain favourable loans from banks and insurers.

With interest ticking ever-upwards at 9 per cent or $120,000 a day, the exact total he owed as of Monday 25 March was closer to $468.1m, with his lawyers arguing that finding a bond company to support such a huge amount has proven a “practical impossibility” after approaching more than 30 surety firms through four separate brokers.

Despite that appeal from his attorneys as they sought the delay, Mr Trump had insisted in a social media post on Friday that he has $500m on hand in ready cash but wants to use it on his presidential campaign instead.

Mr Trump has repeatedly railed against Ms James and Judge Engoron on Truth Social, denying any wrongdoing and baselessly claiming the case against him is a “witch hunt” being orchestrated by his enemies.

In a rant on the eve of the bond deadline, he fumed in a post on his platform that: “I HAVE DONE NOTHING WRONG!”

“These Radical Left Lunatics and Communists ask me to pay a ridiculous and completely unheard of fine of over $450,000,000 only because they saw a similar amount in my bank account. I had intended to use much of that hard earned money on running for President. They don’t want me to do that – ELECTION INTERFERENCE!” he said.

For her part, Ms James has said she is more than happy to begin repossessing Mr Trump’s properties.

“If he does not have funds to pay off the judgement, then we will seek judgement enforcement mechanisms in court and we will ask the judge to seize his assets,” she told ABC News recently.

“We are prepared to make sure that the judgement is paid to New Yorkers, and yes, I look at 40 Wall Street each and every day.”

Donald Trump’s latest verbal gaffe came while addressing reporters on Monday, when the former president appeared to forget who is the current governor of New York.

During the rambling press conference Mr Trump once more took aim at Attorney General Letitia James, who has successfully prosecuted him on civil fraud charges.

The statement comes after a New York appeals court granted Mr Trump a 10-day extension to secure a portion of the $464m bond, which would prevent Ms James from seizing his properties.

The former president previously signalled he was struggling to come up with the money.