Donald Trump reportedly used a bail bondsman after being arrested at Fulton County Jail in Atlanta, Georgia, on Thursday, paying $20,000 of his bond set at $200,000 and taking out a loan for the rest of it. The fact that the former president resorted to such a measure has sparked questions on social media about the state of his finances.
I believe the terms of bonds in Georgia are that 10% must be posted by the defendant. This is the absolute least of his own money he could put up and not have to sit in jail until trial.
EDIT: I’m at least partially wrong here. With a bond you’re giving a percentage of your bail to a 3rd party who will in turn post the full bail amount for you. When you show up to trial, they get the bail back and pocket the percentage you paid. The only reasons you’d take bond over bail is if you can’t afford the full amount, or you think you can make more money than the percentage by investing that money in something.
Still seems like this is the cheapest way for him to stay out of jail in the short term. Lord knows a bondsman’s bounty hunter would have his work cut out bringing in a former president…
I imagine if TFG was dumb enough to try to jump bail (yeah, he very well might be that dumb), the judge would simply phone the Secret Service. They’re law enforcement so even if they won’t arrest him themselves, when the sheriff or federal marshals call, they’ll simply arrange a protection detail around Trump and the deputies and keep Trump very safe as he’s arrested and hauled into custody.