Why didn't Trump settle this a long time ago? Even if Trump wins at trial, it is certain that some unfavorable stuff about him is going to leak out which could damage his campaign. If he settles, he can buy the plaintiffs' silence with nondisclosure agreements tied to the settlement payments. He could easily explain the settlement away by saying that 'he could have won at trial but he had to focus on his campaign and didn't have time to do both.' Like most settlements, Trump could insist that he be allowed to issue a statement that the settlement is not an admission of wrongdoing. That's how most businesses would handle a situation when they get caught with their hand in the cookie jar.