Former US President Donald Trump claimed on Saturday that he expects to be arrested on March 21 in connection with a years-long investigation into a hush money plot involving adult film actress Stormy Daniels, and he urged his fans to oppose any such action.
Trump, referring to himself, stated in a social media post that the “leading Republican candidate and former President of the United States will be arrested on Tuesday of next week” — but he did not indicate why he expects to be detained. His team stated following
Trump stated in a tweet that he had not received any alerts from prosecutors.
According to CNN, discussions between city, state, and federal law enforcement authorities in New York City have been going on all week concerning security preparations for a possible Trump indictment.
In an echo of his calls to followers in the aftermath of the 2020 presidential election, Trump called for action on Saturday, tweeting, “Protest, take our nation back.”
According to many sources briefed on the subject, the former president has been lobbying for his team to whip up his base and feels that an indictment would help him politically.
Any indictment of the former president, who is standing for reelection in 2024, would be a historic first and would drastically alter the political landscape.
Political debate centered on an already controversial character. While Trump has a long history of civil litigation, both before and after entering office, a criminal prosecution would be a major escalation of his legal difficulties as he attempts to reclaim the presidency.
According to a person familiar with the investigation, another witness is likely to testify before the grand jury examining the hush money payments on Monday. It is unclear whether this would be the final testimony before the committee votes on whether to indict.
Trump’s legal team has been anticipated an indictment and has been planning the next steps behind the scenes.
According to a Trump spokeswoman, the former president has not received notification from the Manhattan district attorney’s office.