Trump calls for protests as he predicts imminent arrest over hush money payment

Former US President Donald Trump has called on his supporters to protest as he prepares for a potential criminal charge from Manhattan district attorney, Alvin Bragg. Trump made the call to action on his social media platform Truth Social, citing news reports of his possible arrest on Tuesday or soon thereafter. However, a Trump spokesperson later clarified that there had been no notification about an imminent arrest.

Despite reports indicating that Trump’s team is not actively organizing protests, the Saturday morning post highlights Trump’s efforts to politicize the legal cases against him. In a lengthy, rambling thread, Trump falsely asserted that the 2020 election was stolen from him, claiming that “The American Dream is dead.” The former President’s rhetoric is similar to his remarks on Jan. 6, 2021, when he urged his supporters to “fight like hell” to prevent Joe Biden from taking office.

While a spokesperson for Bragg declined to comment on the matter, news reports on Friday indicated that discussions had begun in New York City about the security issues and logistics involved in responding to a potential indictment of Trump. It remains unclear whether the potential criminal charge would result in Trump being arrested at his new home in Florida, but one of Trump’s attorneys has said he would turn himself in to face the charges in Manhattan if a grand jury returns an indictment in the coming days.

Bragg’s investigation centers on whether Trump committed a crime by disguising a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016 as a legal expense, rather than as an expenditure aimed at boosting his then-ongoing presidential campaign. Michael Cohen, the former Trump attorney who made the arrangements, pleaded guilty in 2018 to federal charges, including a federal campaign finance law violation in connection with the payment. However, Trump was never charged over his role.

Trump is also facing an anticipated indictment in Fulton County, Georgia, where a district attorney has been investigating his efforts to subvert the 2020 election. Additionally, he is facing legal threats from a special counsel probe into his election subversion attempt and efforts to prevent the government from reclaiming scores of sensitive national security documents stashed at his Mar-a-Lago estate.