A $464 million civil penalty against President Donald Trump was thrown out by a US court on Thursday. The judge determined that Trump had overstated his personal worth, calling the amount “excessive,” but the court upheld the conviction against him.
At the height of Trump’s reelection campaign, in February 2024, Judge Arthur Engoron rendered a decision against him. At the same time, there were multiple ongoing criminal prosecutions, which the Republican denounced as “lawfare.”
Trump stated on his Truth Social platform Thursday that “everything I did was absolutely CORRECT and, even, PERFECT.” He also claimed that it was a political witch hunt in a corporate sense, beyond anything anyone has ever seen.
The mogul-turned-politician was forced to pay $464 million, including interest, when Engoron first decided against him. His sons, Eric and Don Jr., were also ordered to fork up more than $4 million each.
In order to get favorable bank loans or insurance terms, the judge determined that Trump and his business had illegally exaggerated his wealth and distorted the value of assets.
The judge also barred Trump from operating businesses for three years, which the president has called a “corporate death penalty,” in addition to the financial punishment.
Five judges from the New York Supreme Court’s Appellate Division maintained the verdict on Thursday, but they also said that the fine was “excessive” and that it “violates the Eighth Amendment of the United States Constitution.”
Excessive or cruel penalties and punishments are forbidden by the Eighth Amendment.
“Huge victory!”
The New York Court of Appeals, the state’s highest court, was now open to appeals by State Attorney General Letitia James, who initiated the original case.
Trump later attempted to contest the civil decision and the severity and conditions of the penalty after the initial verdict, which has continued to accrue interest while he appeals.
He vehemently denounced the case and the punishment as being driven by politics.
Don Jr., his son, called the appellate court’s decision a “massive win!!!”
The $500+ million civil fraud penalty imposed on President Trump was recently overturned by the New York Appeals Court! Election meddling, witch hunts, and complete injustices were all part of it. and even a NY appeals court that leans left concurs! END THE LAWFARE! On X, he wrote.
Trump accused then-President Joe Biden of spearheading the case during proceedings that were held without a jury in accordance with state law, referring to it as “weaponization against a political opponent who’s up a lot in the polls.”
There was no threat of incarceration because the lawsuit was civil rather than criminal.
In reference to the New York attorney general, Trump’s economic counselor Peter Navarro stated at the White House on Thursday that “James is another one that belongs in jail.”
He claimed that because the Democrats believed they could remove Donald Trump, they overplayed their hand in this.
