Trump’s advisers and lawyers had for days expected him to be indicted in the New York case hinges $130,000 paid to an adult-film star.
His call to action is a reminder of the attention the former president still commands on social media among his supporters as well as among Republican Party leaders, even as Trump enters his third term for the nation’s highest office. Also amid the question of how much support is there for the run. His calls for “protests” have also worried some of his advisers, who said they fear his rhetoric will increasingly escalate as they feel surrounded by prosecutors.
Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said Saturday morning there was no “notification” of the impeachment. Instead, he said Trump’s supporters should attend a campaign rally in Texas next week.
Susan Nechels, a lawyer for Trump, said her comments about the timing of his arrest were in line with media reports on Friday that local and federal law enforcement officials would meet next week to discuss security and logistics related to Trump’s expected indictment. Was expected to call at the beginning of the week.
“Because this is a political prosecution, the District Attorney’s Office engaged in the practice of leaking everything to the press instead of communicating with President Trump’s lawyers,” Necheles said in a statement.
Two people close to the former president, who spoke on condition of anonymity to describe private conversations, said they did not know when or whether he would be indicted. He said advisers and lawyers on his team had warned Trump in recent days that an impeachment could come as early as next week, including Tuesday as a possibility, but did not know why he referred to that day in his post. Did.
Trump advisers said they were still discussing, among themselves and with Trump, the logistics of an indictment — including whether the former president would have to travel to New York to appear in court, whether he May avoid having his mug shot or any other public spectacle, and whether, if indicted, he will hold a news conference to discuss it.
The office of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg (D) did not respond to a request for comment Saturday.
Secret Service officials were surprised Saturday morning by Trump’s post predicting Tuesday’s arrest, according to a person who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss the sensitive plan. During Friday’s discussions in New York in preparation for Trump’s possible indictment, Secret Service leaders expected Trump’s legal team to notify them immediately if his lawyers heard of any planned indictments.
Secret Service officials also expect the district attorney’s office to negotiate the terms under which Trump can voluntarily turn himself in. The attorneys have not provided any such information, according to a person familiar with Secret Service planning.
Trump’s post was reminiscent of his call in late 2020 for supporters to come to Washington on January 6 to protest the election results: “Be there, gonna be wild!” Truth Social users posted comments on Saturday As if “All hell will break loose” in response to the possibility of Trump’s impeachment.
Mary McCord, director of a democracy advocacy center at Georgetown Law School, said Trump is weeding out extremists who may engage in violence.
“Trump knows the call-and-response effect of his words on his most ardent followers,” McCord said. “His call to ‘take back our country’, like his last call on January 6 to ‘fight like hell’, is not only a request but also a permission to act violently if necessary.”
“Protest is protected and valued in America,” she said, “but violence and incitement to violence are illegal and unprotected by the First Amendment.”
McCord and his organization repeatedly warned the FBI and local officials in the weeks leading up to January 6, 2021, that domestic extremists were planning to target the Capitol and attack police and lawmakers on that day, due to Trump’s Washington rally being called. were planning.
A preliminary security planning meeting involving the district attorney’s office and the New York Police Department was held recently, according to a person with knowledge of the planning. That person said to talk on a sensitive matter on the condition of anonymity.
Law enforcement and court officials — including the NYPD, Secret Service, New York State court officials, the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and judges — will meet early next week to discuss security and logistics for Trump’s potential first court appearance. is expected, according to people with knowledge of the plan. Officials are expected to discuss issues including how to handle a potential crowd of protesters around the perimeter of the borough’s main criminal courthouse, 100 Center St.
Dennis Quirk, head of the New York State Court Officers Association, said, “It’s an incredible security nightmare, and any day we do this, it’s going to inconvenience everyone in the courthouse.”
A Trump impeachment would be a surprising moment — a former president who faces a set of probes of his handling classified documents and the January 6 assault, accused of paying adult-film star Stormy Daniels.
The case involves a $130,000 payment that Michael Cohen, a former Trump lawyer, made to Daniels before the 2016 presidential election and whether it was to keep quiet about allegations that she and Trump had an affair. Trump has denied having an affair with Daniels and has called the payments extortion.
Cohen has accepted to pay, stating that he had expected to be reimbursed; That refund was allegedly documented as payment for legal work.
The matter had been under investigation by authorities for years, but prosecutors have so far declined to pursue charges against Trump. But in recent weeks, Bragg has played down the issue.
Meanwhile, Trump’s team has begun fundraising on the prospect of his arrest, his best fundraising days since leaving the White House following the FBI raid on his Mar-a-Lago home last year, the The Washington Post reported.
“Manhattan may be close to impeaching da Trump,” one pitch read Saturday morning. “Patriot – Funny Witch Hunt Like Never Before With the Deep State Gunning for President Trump We had to make sure you saw the *private & secure* message she wrote for you. See below!”
Trump and his team are preparing to go into “political warfare,” in the words of one adviser, to challenge the credibility of Bragg, Cohen and Daniels. Trump, who was removed from several social media platforms after the January 6 attack, is getting his accounts back. On Friday, he posted on Facebook and YouTube to inform his followers that he was back online.
The adviser said Trump wanted to force Republicans to publicly defend him against the investigation. Several of his advisers and surrogates began attacking Bragg Saturday morning, and MAGA Inc., a Trump-aligned PAC, issued a news release detailing which of Trump’s fellow 2024 GOP presidential candidates came to his defense and who did not. Were.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) Saturday called for a congressional investigation of the Manhattan district attorney. “I am directing the relevant committees to immediately investigate whether federal funds are being used to destroy our democracy by interfering in elections with politically motivated lawsuits,” McCarthy wrote on twitter,
Ali Alexander, organizer of the “Stop Theft” rally, in a do In response to Trump’s post, Trump’s call for action seemed to back away. Alexander wrote that those protesting in New York City would be “jailed or worse”. Instead he urged his followers to help the families of those who were arrested on charges related to the January 6 attack.
Alexander posted on the Telegram platform, “Earlier, I said that 100,000 patriots should block all routes to Mar-a-Largo if Trump was arrested or threatened with a perp walk.” “Now, I’m retired. I’ll pray for him though!
Trump supporter and anti-abortion activist Frank PavoneHowever, appeared eager to call on his supporters. “Oh yes, we will protest, and it will be awesome!” Pavon wrote.
Trump wrote a second post on Truth Social later in the day, calling on his supporters to “Protest, Protest, Protest” as complaints about a Biden presidency surfaced.
leading a special counsel appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland parallel check of Trump’s role in efforts to subvert the 2020 election results and Possible manipulation of classified documents in Mar-a-Lago. separately, Georgia prosecutors near the end of their investigation Regarding his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results of that state.
Advisers have said Trump has been intensely focused on the investigation in recent months and has long feared possible arrest or indictment.
After posting on Truth Social, Trump played golf at his club in Jupiter, Fla. He was scheduled to fly to a national wrestling tournament in Oklahoma later Saturday.