Our man Trump has been hit with a double whammy!
Whammy one: pay $464-million bond on his civil court conviction. The judge said “cash” this time. No pledging of property.
Whammy two: The cash values of those properties most certainly have dropped “over night” due to Trump having to quickly sell to raise cash for the court. You can bet prospective buyers for those buildings and golf courses – most likely hedge funds and other speculators – are going to “low ball” him because they know he must liquidate to make bail. He’s suddenly in a “fire sale” market.
In some cases, he may have to accept less than he paid.
Now, Trump is far from being poor. He has many real estate holdings, including some abroad. He says he’s a billionaire and, on paper, he probably is.
But – it’s more than likely he leveraged himself into many of those properties with small down payments. That’s what large corporate buyers do. It reduces their risks. So, his equity positions are probably nowhere near the actual values.
In short, the judge has put DJT in a position he’s never known before. Rather than dominating the marketplace, as he has for so many years, he and his holdings are captive to the court’s demands.
And, whatever the market will bear.
In addition, whatever cash he raises from the forced liquidations will reduce his equity positions. He’s likely to be caught in a perfect storm, losing on both ends. Loses cash. Lots and lots of it. In courts and in real estate investment markets.
This is only his first trial. There are at least three more such federal – and several more civil – courtroom dramas to play out.  If he’s found guilty in one or more, he could well wind up with his holdings – or many of ’em – in the hands of the various courts.
Trump has been a “high flyer” for decades. Only the best. First class. Private, four-engine jet. Media attention at his beck-and-call. Politicians seeking his endorsement for various offices.
Seated in courtrooms, eyeball-to-eyeball with unsympathetic judges. Forced to liquidate holdings he’s gathered in better times. Been found guilty on sexual abuse charges in the E. Jean Carroll case. Ordered to pay $474-million in cash. Not the kind of life he’s been used to.
And, there’s more to come. It’s going to get worse for DJT.
How all this will play into his longshot chances of being President again is anyone’s guess. Like a perennial Phoenix, he’s risen from the ashes before.
But, those ashes have never been this hot.
Maybe this time, it’s the old one-two.
(image/Fulton County Sheriff’s Office release)
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