'White wealthy privilege': Trump's lowered bond 'bail out' spurs widespread outrage

Former President Donald Trump got a lucky break on Monday, when a New York appeals court reduced the bond he owes in the $464 million civil fraud case to just $175 million — and gave him an extra 10 days to come up with the money before state Attorney General Letitia James can begin seizing his assets to pay what he owes.

The decision in the case, in which Trump was found liable for inflating property values to manipulate the Trump Organization's tax burden and loan interest terms, came just hours before James would have been able to seize his properties, which by some accounts, she was gearing up to do with his Westchester assets.

Trump is by no means in the clear, but many political and legal experts argued on X that he received treatment more favorable than any normal civil defendant could expect.

"Yet again, @realDonaldTrump gets special treatment with his own private system of justice," wrote Michael Steele, former chair of the Republican National Committee. "The NY Appeals Court has decided to give Trump more time to pay less money by reducing his bond from $454M to $175 and giving him 10 days to get the money. This makes absolutely no sense."

"Kalief Browder allegedly stole a backpack, was unable to post a $3000 bond, spent 800 days in solitary confinement," wrote artist IrishRyGirl. "Donald Trump, ripped off the NY tax payers of millions of dollars, gets bond reduced and gets to walk free.. sounds about white wealthy privilege."

"Boy, that appeals court really bailed out fake billionaire trump from having to face accountability today, giving him 10 more days and a 50% 'discount' on the bond," posted Democratic PAC adviser Majid Madellan, more commonly known by the name Brooklyn Dad Defiant. "What a f---ing bull---- ruling."

"The NY appellate court’s unexplained reduction from $454M to $175M in the bond Trump must post in 10 days to secure the judgment pending appeal is a travesty of justice," wrote retired Harvard Law professor Laurence Tribe. "Let’s hope public disgust with this preferential treatment will come back to bite Trump politically."

"BREAKING: NY’s justice system," wrote Tristan Snell, a former New York prosecutor who handled the Trump University case. "Appellate judges hand Trump a gift, cut bond down to $175 million, give him 10 extra days; Imagine a basketball team down by 40 points, and with 1:00 left in the game, refs give the losing team 5 more minutes — and lower the hoop from 10ft to 6ft."

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