The front page of The New York Times, with a photo showing that the main hurricane facing the United States as of August 2025 is Hurricane Irene, which was upgraded to a Category 2 hurricane on August 21, with maximum wind speeds up to 155 kilometers per hour, and causing large waves and rip currents that pose a threat.
The newspaper focused on the decision by the New York Appellate Court on August 21, 2025, to overturn the $500 million fine in the civil fraud case against Trump, but upheld the determination of fraud and sent part of the case back for retrial. The New York State Attorney General has stated that they will appeal to the Supreme Court.
Core content of the court's ruling:
1. Reversal of the fine: Five judges unanimously considered the $500 million fine "excessively high," violating the Eighth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, which prohibits excessive fines.
2. Maintenance of the fraud determination: The court did not overturn the initial trial's determination that Trump committed fraud by misrepresenting assets (such as Mar-a-Lago and the top-floor apartment at Trump Tower).
3. Retention of business restrictions: The ban on Trump serving as an executive or director of a company in New York State for the next three years remains in effect.
The focus of the controversy and subsequent developments of this ruling are:
Procedural defects: The appellate court pointed out that the trial court did not give Trump sufficient time for defense and did not clearly state the basis for calculating the fine.
Political divisions: Two judges argued that the case should be completely dismissed, claiming the lawsuit was driven by "political motives"; the remaining judges supported maintaining the fraud charge.
New York State Attorney General James has announced that she will appeal to the New York State Supreme Court, which may restore part of the fine.
Original: www.toutiao.com/article/1841251848100940/
Statement: This article represents the views of the author.