Former US President Donald Trump stated on Saturday that he anticipates being detained on March 21 in connection with the lengthy investigation into a hush money scheme involving adult film actress Stormy Daniels. He also urged his supporters to oppose any such action.
In a social media post, Trump, using his own name, predicted that the “leading Republican candidate and former president of the United States will be arrested on Tuesday of next week,” though he made no mention of the reason for his prediction. Following Trump’s post, his team claimed that it had not received any notifications from prosecutors.
Meetings between city, state, and federal law enforcement agencies have reportedly been taking place in New York City all week regarding security preparations for a potential indictment of Trump, according to a CNN report.
Trump wrote on Saturday, “Protest, take our nation back,” a reference to his appeals to supporters after the 2020 election. “.
According to multiple people briefed on the situation and reported to CNN, the former president has been pressuring his team to incite his base and thinks an indictment would benefit him politically.
Any indictment of the former president, who is up for reelection in 2024, would be a historic first and drastically alter the political discourse surrounding a person who is already contentious. Even though Trump has a long history of civil lawsuits, both before and after becoming president, a criminal charge would be a dramatic worsening of his legal problems as he tries to retake the White House.
According to a source familiar with the investigation, another witness is scheduled to appear before the grand jury investigating the hush money payments on Monday. It’s unclear if this would be the last witness before the committee decides whether to recommend an indictment.
Trump’s legal team has been making preparations behind the scenes for the next move as they anticipate an imminent indictment.
The former president was “rightfully highlighting his innocence” in his post, according to a spokesperson for Trump, who claimed that the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office has not notified him of any potential indictment.
Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy of California tweeted on Saturday that any potential indictment of the former president would be “an outrageous abuse of power” on the part of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, foreshadowing a possible line of defense from Republicans on Capitol Hill.
Trump’s former vice president Mike Pence echoed McCarthy’s viewpoint on Saturday. Pence said in a radio interview with Breitbart News, “Well, like many Americans, I’m just — I’m taken aback. The former vice president alleged that the Manhattan district attorney’s investigation “reeks” of “political prosecution. “.
On Saturday, the District Attorney’s Office in Manhattan declined to comment.
(CNN).
