IF ARRESTED ON TUESDAY, TRUMP URGES FOLLOWERS TO PROTEST
On Saturday, former US president Donald Trump asserted that he anticipated being “arrested” on Tuesday of the following week and urged his supporters to launch protests.
Citing a “leak” from the Manhattan district attorney’s office, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform on Saturday morning:“leading Republican candidate & former President of the United States of America will be arrested on Tuesday of next week. Protest, take our nation back!”
The probe focuses on the $130,000 spent weeks before the 2016 elections to prevent Stormy Daniels, whose actual name is Stephanie Clifford, from disclosing details of an alleged long-ago encounter with Trump.
In this case, prosecutors are debating whether to charge Trump.
The 76-year-old Trump would become the first former president to be charged with a felony if the Manhattan district attorney were to file an indictment against him.
Trump’s lawyer told CNBC on Friday evening that his client would surrender to face criminal charges if he was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury.
Trump has denied having an affair with Daniels.
In his post, written in capital letters, Trump referred to the “illegal leaks from a corrupt & highly political Manhattan district attorneys office.”
Daniels met with prosecutors on Wednesday and “agreed to make herself available as a witness, or for further inquiry if needed,” according to her lawyer Charles Brewster.
Earlier this month, Trump was given the opportunity to testify by District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s team but is expected to decline, to avoid potentially incriminating himself.
Experts say the invitation is a sign that he will almost certainly be charged.