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Donald Trump has posted a $175m (£140m) bond in New York – preventing the state from seizing his assets.

The former US president had been given 10 days to make the payment after his lawyers successfully asked for the bond to be reduced from $454m (£362m).

However, Mr Trump will be liable to pay the full amount – plus daily interest – if he loses an appeal in the civil fraud case.

New York’s attorney general, Letitia James, had been prepared to start seizing the 77-year-old’s real estate unless the bond was posted.

In February, he was found guilty of scheming for years to deceive banks and insurers by inflating his wealth on financial statements used to secure loans and make deals.

Mr Trump, who has secured the Republican nomination for this year’s general election, has frequently claimed to be worth billions of dollars and last year said he had $400m in cash, in addition to properties and other investments.

He has repeatedly denied wrongdoing, and argued the statements actually underestimated his fortune.

Trump ordered to stop attacking judge’s family

There have also been developments in a separate trial that Mr Trump is facing, which relates to a hush money payment made to the porn star Stormy Daniels.

On Monday, he was ordered to stop verbal attacks on the family members of the judge in this upcoming case.

It comes after Judge Juan Merchan’s daughter was described as a “rabid Trump hater” in a social media post.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump listens as his lawyer Todd Blanche argues with Judge Juan Merchan (not seen) during a court hearing on charges of falsifying business records to cover up a hush money payment to a porn star before the 2016 election, at a court in New York, U.S., February 15, 2024 in this courtroom sketch.
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Courtroom sketch of Mr Trump during hush money payment trial. Pic: Reuters

Prosecutor Matthew Colangelo had warned: “Family members of trial participants must be strictly off-limits.

“Defendant’s insistence to the contrary bespeaks a dangerous sense of entitlement to instigate fear and even physical harm to the loved ones of those he sees in the courtroom.”

The order extends on one already in place that bars Mr Trump from publicly commenting about witnesses and court staff.

If Mr Trump violates the order, he could face jail time. But it does not stop him from criticising Mr Merchan or Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, whose office brought the charges last year.

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The trial is due to start on 15 April in Manhattan. Mr Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records and denies an alleged sexual encounter with Ms Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford.

Truth Social parent company losses

In a further blow for Mr Trump, his social media company has disclosed it lost nearly $58.2m (£46.2m) last year, a week after its stock market debut.

Trump Media and Technology Group – whose flagship product is social media platform Truth Social – mark a stark decline compared with the profit of $50.5m million that the former president’s company reported for 2022, according to a company filing with securities regulators.

FILE PHOTO: The Truth social network logo is seen displayed behind a woman holding a smartphone in this picture illustration taken February 21, 2022. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo
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Reuters file pic

Truth Social had been seen as a potential financial lifeline for Mr Trump during his ongoing legal and financial challenges.

However, early investors into the media company are taking a hit after stocks closed at $48.66 on Monday, which was below their initial offering price of $49.95 (£39).

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‘Close eye’ will be kept on OpenAI’s for-profit conversion, says California’s attorney general

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'Close eye' will be kept on OpenAI's for-profit conversion, says California's attorney general

OpenAI has completed its transition to a for-profit company, after court battles and public criticism from one of its founders, Elon Musk.

The company’s for-profit arm will become a public benefit corporation – a company type that must consider both the mission and shareholder interests.

But the non-profit arm will retain control over it to make sure OpenAI sticks to its mission of developing artificial intelligence to the “benefit of all humanity”.

The restructuring will make it easier for OpenAI to profit from its AI, which the company says will help it to realise its goal of developing artificial general intelligence (AGI).

AGI would mean AI can perform any intellectual task that a human can. It is often seen as the holy grail for AI companies.

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Is AI a bubble waiting to burst?

In a call on Tuesday, OpenAI’s chief executive Sam Altman said “the most likely path” for the newly formed business is that it becomes publicly traded on the stock market, “given the capital needs that we’ll have and sort of the size of the company”.

The company also announced that Microsoft, a long-time backer of OpenAI, will now hold a roughly 27% stake in its new for-profit corporation, a slightly bigger share than OpenAI’s own nonprofit.

“We will be keeping a close eye on OpenAI to ensure ongoing adherence to its charitable mission and the protection of the safety of all Californians,” said California Attorney General Rob Bonta.

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OpenAI said it completed its restructuring “after nearly a year of engaging in constructive dialogue” with the offices in both states.

“OpenAI has completed its recapitalization, simplifying its corporate structure,” said a blog post Tuesday from Bret Taylor, the chair of OpenAI’s board of directors.

“The nonprofit remains in control of the for-profit, and now has a direct path to major resources before AGI arrives.”

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Hunger strikers want end to ‘superhuman’ AI

When OpenAI initially suggested restructuring, Mr Musk asked a judge to block this from happening.

He launched a legal case against the company in 2024, accusing it of a breach of contract.

Mr Musk accused the ChatGPT developer of transforming into “a closed-source de facto subsidiary of the largest technology company, Microsoft”, according to a court filing.

“It is not just developing but is actually refining an AGI [artificial general intelligence] to maximise profits for Microsoft, rather than for the benefit of humanity,” the court filing said.

A legal battle ensued and earlier this year, Mr Musk offered to buy OpenAI for $97.4bn (£78.7bn) – an offer that was quickly rejected by Mr Altman, who told Sky News: “The company is not for sale.”

After announcing the changes on Tuesday, Mr Altman said:

“California is my home, and I love it here, and when I talked to Attorney General Bonta two weeks ago I made clear that we were not going to do what those other companies do and threaten to leave if sued.

“We really wanted to figure this out and are really happy about where it all landed – and very much appreciate the work of the Attorney General.”

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More than a dozen killed as US attacks alleged drug boats in Pacific ‘on Donald Trump’s orders’

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More than a dozen killed as US attacks alleged drug boats in Pacific 'on Donald Trump's orders'

Fourteen people have died after the US launched its latest attacks on boats in the eastern Pacific Ocean, which it says were transporting illegal drugs to the country.

It brings the total number of dead from 13 airstrikes to 57, amid increasing tensions between the US and the governments of both Colombia and Venezuela.

A 30-second video posted on X by the US Secretary of War, Pete Hegseth, showed four vessels exploding on Monday on what he said were the orders of US President Donald Trump.

Analysis: Is Trump going to attack Venezuela?

One of the boats appears to be piled high with packages.

Mr Hegseth, who is with Mr Trump on a tour of Asia, said US forces carried out “three lethal kinetic strikes on four vessels operated by Designated Terrorist Organisations (DTO) trafficking narcotics”.

They were identified as drug boats by US intelligence, he said, travelling on “known narco-trafficking routes, and carrying narcotics”.

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A total of 14 “male narco-terrorists” onboard were killed, he said, “with one survivor”, who was rescued by Mexican authorities.

Narco-terrorists “have killed more Americans than Al-Qaeda, and they will be treated the same. We will track them, we will network them, and then, we will hunt and kill them,” he added.

The condition and whereabouts of the survivor are not known.

President Trump and Japan’s Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, in Tokyo on Tuesday. Pic: AP
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President Trump and Japan’s Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, in Tokyo on Tuesday. Pic: AP

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speaking to troops on the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, in Japan. Pic: Reuters
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US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth speaking to troops on the aircraft carrier USS George Washington, in Japan. Pic: Reuters

It is the latest in a series of attacks on boats the US says have been carrying drugs in both the Pacific and Caribbean, and comes as Washington continues its military build-up in the latter, deploying guided-missile destroyers, F-35 fighter jets, a nuclear submarine and thousands of troops.

The administration has ordered the USS Gerald Ford aircraft carrier and its supporting strike group to the region, and it is expected to reach the Caribbean in the coming weeks.

Mr Trump has accused Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro of leading a drug-trafficking organisation, which he denies.

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September- ‘drug boat’ attacked by US military

Mr Maduro has repeatedly claimed that the US wants to drive him from power, while some in Venezuela believe the military build-up is aimed at destabilising his government and ultimately forcing regime change in Caracas.

Mr Trump has also authorised the CIA to conduct covert operations in Venezuela.

The Pentagon has provided little information about any of the strikes, including the quantity of drugs the boats allegedly carried and the identities of those killed.

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Democrats in Washington have asked whether the attacks comply with the laws of war, while legal experts have asked why the US Coast Guard, the main US maritime law enforcement agency, hasn’t been involved and why other efforts to stop the shipments have not been tried first.

Venezuela’s government says the strikes are illegal, amount to murder, and are acts of aggression.

In August, the Trump administration doubled its reward for information leading to Maduro’s arrest to $50 million (£38m).

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Warships, the CIA and potential ‘precision attacks’ – the US-Venezuela crisis explained

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Warships, the CIA and potential 'precision attacks' - the US-Venezuela crisis explained

US warships in the region, the green light for covert operations, and deadly strikes on what the Trump administration claims are “narco terrorists” – could America’s next move be to strike Venezuela?

President Donald Trump has accused President Nicolas Maduro of leading an organised crime gang (without providing evidence) and declined to answer when questioned if the CIA has the authority to assassinate him.

In return, the Venezuelan leader has accused Mr Trump of seeking regime change and of “fabricating a new eternal war” against his country, as he appealed to the American people for peace.

The rhetoric coming out of the White House, coupled with the presence of military ships in the region, has raised questions about a possible armed conflict between the US and Venezuela.

The question in the air is: Will the US actually attack Venezuela?

The USS Gravely destroyer arrives in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on 26 October. Pic: AP
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The USS Gravely destroyer arrives in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, on 26 October. Pic: AP

What are US warships doing?

The docking of the USS Gravely guided missile destroyer in the capital of Trinidad and Tobago – just 25 miles from the coast of Venezuela – is the latest incident to escalate tensions.

Venezuela’s government condemned the arrival and called it a provocation by Trinidad and Tobago and the US.

The USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier – the largest warship in the world – is also moving closer to Venezuela.

Satellite image shows USS Gerald R Ford on 25 October off the coast of Croatia, a day after the announcement it would be deployed to the Caribbean. Pic: EU Copernicus
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Satellite image shows USS Gerald R Ford on 25 October off the coast of Croatia, a day after the announcement it would be deployed to the Caribbean. Pic: EU Copernicus

It comes as the US has acknowledged carrying out at least seven strikes since September on vessels near Venezuela that it claims were transporting drugs, killing at least 32 people.

Venezuela’s government says the strikes are illegal, amount to murder, and are acts of aggression.

Earlier this month, Trump confirmed he has authorised the CIA to carry out covert operations – including lethal operations – in Venezuela.

The CIA has a long history of operations in Latin America, with actions varying widely from direct paramilitary engagement to intelligence gathering and support roles with little to no physical footprint.

What could happen?

To get an idea of what could happen next, Sky News spoke to Dr Carlos Solar, an expert on Latin American security at the RUSI defence thinktank.

He says the level of military strategy the US is applying around Venezuela seems “unproportionate” for the task of tackling drug trafficking.

In Venezuela, the government has civilians trained in the use of weapons to defend the country in the event of a US attack. Pic: AP
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In Venezuela, the government has civilians trained in the use of weapons to defend the country in the event of a US attack. Pic: AP

“A build-up this size can only suggest there’s a strategic military goal,” he added.

Dr Solar says the role of the CIA is “not surprising”, as the US often deploys spying capabilities in countries deemed adversarial.

“With the chances of a military conflict looming, having the most intelligence capable on the ground would be reasonable.”

The world's largest warship, the USS Gerald R Ford, has been tasked to the Caribbean. File pic: Reuters
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The world’s largest warship, the USS Gerald R Ford, has been tasked to the Caribbean. File pic: Reuters

Asked what could happen next, Dr Solar told Sky News: “One scenario is Trump authorises a round of long-range precision attacks in Venezuela’s territory linked to drug trafficking operations, eventually forcing Maduro to reciprocate later.

“We saw this early in the year when the US attacked Iran’s nuclear facilitates and Tehran returned missiles to US bases in Qatar.

“If the US decides to move more strongly, destroying all critical military targets from the Venezuelan forces, then the US could have Maduro surrender and leave the country immediately.

“This would be the least disruptive without causing greater destabilisation of the country.”

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Venezuelan President: ‘We don’t want a war’

What does Trump say about Venezuela?

Trump said his reasons for the strikes on vessels were the migration of Venezuelans, allegedly including former prisoners, to the US – and drug trafficking.

“I authorised for two reasons really,” he said. “Number one, they have emptied their prisons into the United States of America…they came in through the border. They came in because we had an open border,” he told reporters. “And the other thing are drugs.”

He has accused Venezuela of trafficking huge amounts of cocaine into the US, and alleged Mr Maduro is the leader of the Tren de Aragua gang – a claim most of his own intelligence agencies do not support.

President Donald Trump is currently on a tour of Asia. Pic: Reuters
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President Donald Trump is currently on a tour of Asia. Pic: Reuters

The US leader has not provided evidence for the claim about prisoners, and Sky News chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay pointed out the fentanyl drug that is causing destruction in America is largely manufactured in Mexico, not Venezuela.

“We are looking at land now, because we’ve got the sea very well under control,” Mr Trump added. It is not clear what actions this could entail.

The Pentagon recently disclosed to US Congress that the president has determined the US is engaged in “a non-international armed conflict” with drug cartels.

When asked if the CIA has the authority to execute Maduro, which would be a massive intervention, Trump declined to answer. Instead, he said: “I think Venezuela is feeling heat.”

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Venezuela's President Nicolas Maduro. Pic: Reuters
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Venezuela’s President Nicolas Maduro. Pic: Reuters

What does Venezuela’s leader say?

Maduro has been in power since 2013, including re-elections in contests marred by accusations of fraud.

The last decade has seen his country gripped by spiralling hyperinflation and a humanitarian crisis that has seen an estimated eight million Venezuelans flee the country.

As the USS Gerald R Ford aircraft carrier moved closer to Venezuela, Maduro accused the US government of “fabricating a new eternal war” against his country.

Venezuelan ambassador to the UN, Samuel Moncada, holds a newspaper article about a recent US military strike. Pic: Reuters
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Venezuelan ambassador to the UN, Samuel Moncada, holds a newspaper article about a recent US military strike. Pic: Reuters

“They promised they would never again get involved in a war, and they are fabricating a war that we will avoid,” he said in a national address.

“They are fabricating an extravagant narrative, a vulgar, criminal and totally fake one,” he added, perhaps a reference to Trump’s claim that he is the leader of the Tren de Aragua gang and that his country trafficks cocaine into the US.

“Venezuela is a country that does not produce cocaine leaves.”

Members of Venezuela's Bolivarian National Guard. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Members of Venezuela’s Bolivarian National Guard. Pic: Reuters

Tren de Aragua, which traces its roots to a Venezuelan prison, is not known for having a big role in global drug trafficking but instead for its involvement in contract killings, extortion, and people smuggling.

Venezuela has raised a complaint to the UN Security Council and demanded accountability from the US.

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