Former President Donald Trump has warned his supporters of his imminent arrest in a case relating to the alleged hush-money payment made to an adult film Stormy Daniels in 2016. Trump said the Manhattan District Attorney is engaing in a witch hunt on behalf of his political masters ahead of the 2024 presidential election.
No Crime, Says Trummp
"Illegal leaks from a corrupt & highly political Manhattan district attorney's office ... indicate that, with no crime being able to be proven ... the far & away leading Republican candidate & former president of the United States of America, will be arrested on Tuesday of next week," the former president wrote on his Truth Social platform.
He exhorted his supporters to 'Take our nation back," adding that he expected to be arrested on Tuesday next week. The statement came a day after intense speculation gripped political circles over the possible indictment and arrest of the former president, which is by far an unprecedented step.
The Manhattan District Attorney's Office has not stated if Trump will be arrested. No charges have yet been filed against Trump so far in the case, and the former president denies any wrongdoing. His defense team has said the payment was made to Trump's lawyer and not to the accuser. Earlier last month, Trump was invited to testify to a grand jury. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is investigating the payment of $130,000 to the adult film actress, which was made by Trump's lawyer Michael Cohen, during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Possible Arraignment
Widely circulated media reports citing people familiar with the evolving situation said the prosecutors are considering a possible indictment of Trump next week. If he is indicted his arrest will be formally registered and he would be released. However, it will be the first time ever a former president is slapped with criminal charges.
"Since this is a political prosecution, the district attorney's office has engaged in a practice of leaking everything to the press, rather than communicating with Donald Trump's attorneys as would be done in a normal case," Trump's lawyer Susan Necheles said, IANS reported.
Kevin McCarthy, the Republican speaker of the US House of Representatives, strongly denounced the move. "Here we go again — an outrageous abuse of power by a radical DA who lets violent criminals walk as he pursues political vengeance against President Trump," McCarthy said.
