Former President Trump predicted he will be arrested on Tuesday, as Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is near to determining whether to prosecute him in the investigation into a hush-money payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Trump stated in a Saturday post on Truth Social that “illegal leaks” suggest that “the far & away leading Republican candidate & former president of the United States of America, will be arrested on Tuesday of next week.”
“Protest, take our nation back!” Trump proceeded by urging his fans to resist his possible arrest.
Many recent indicators tend to indicate that the grand jury Bragg convened is near to possibly bringing charges against Trump.
Earlier this week, former Trump attorney Michael Cohen appeared before a grand jury, and Daniels met with Manhattan prosecutors. With Cohen’s testimony, nearly every important person in the investigation has now testified before the grand jury.
Last week, Trump was called to testify before the grand jury, which is frequently a hint that a decision about any charges is approaching. Last week, Trump’s lawyers stated that he was refusing the offer.
Cohen confessed arranging a $130,000 payment to Daniels in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election so that she would keep silent about an affair she had with Trump.
Cohen pled guilty to a number of offenses in 2018, including one relating to a breach of campaign finance law involving the payment. He was condemned to a few years in jail, but was permitted to serve the remainder of his term under home arrest when the COVID-19 epidemic began.
Cohen has stated that he paid Daniels at Trump’s request and that Trump reimbursed him. Trump has admitted to reimbursing Cohen for the payment, but he has disputed that the money came from his campaign coffers.
The Trump Organization categorized Cohen’s payment as a legal expenditure.
If Trump is charged, it will be the first time in U.S. history that a former president has been criminally prosecuted.
Trump’s attorney, Joseph Tacopina, stated to The New York Daily News that Trump would not refuse to surrender if charged in the case.
A representative for Trump stated in a statement that the former president has not been formally notified of Tuesday’s filing of charges. According to them, Trump is only aware that Bragg chose to “take his witch hunt to the next level” because of “illegal leaks” from the Justice Department and the Manhattan district attorney’s office to the media.
“President Trump is rightfully highlighting his innocence and the weaponization of our injustice system,” they said.
The spokeswoman stated that Trump will have a rally in Texas the following weekend.
Trump has criticized Bragg’s inquiry as politically motivated, and Trump campaign spokesman Steven Cheung stated last week that the president is “totally innocent.” Cheung said the investigation will “backfire massively” for Democrats and the country.
Law enforcement authorities in New York have been arranging security in anticipation of a possible indictment against Trump. Authorities informed The Associated Press that they are organizing security and logistics for the court appearance of a former president.
CNN stated that top personnel from Bragg’s office, the New York Police Department (NYPD), and the New York State Court Officers had met to discuss security concerns in the event charges are brought. Court officers are responsible for the security of state court buildings, notably the New York Supreme Court in Manhattan.
CNN was informed by officials with knowledge of the negotiations that they are prepared for probable rallies by Trump supporters and counterprotests by Trump opponents, as well as the prospect of confrontation between the two groups.
According to the publication, the NYPD and FBI have also considered the likelihood of an increase in threats against Bragg and his employees.
The issues arise when thousands of Trump supporters assaulted the Capitol during an uprising on January 6, 2021, in response to Trump’s appeal for them to oppose the certification of President Biden’s 2020 win.