Trump says he expects to be arrested Tuesday as New York law enforcement prepares for possible indictment
By Kaitlan Collins, Kristen Holmes and Paula Reid, CNN
Updated 12:40 PM EDT, Sat March 18, 2023
Former President Donald Trump said Saturday he expects to be arrested in connection with the investigation by the Manhattan district attorney next week and called for protests as New York law enforcement prepares for a possible indictment.
In a social media post, Trump, referring to himself, said the “leading Republican candidate and former president of the United States will be arrested on Tuesday of next week.”
“Protest, take our nation back,” he wrote.
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What to know about NY prosecutors' probe into Trump's role in hush money scheme
CNN’s John Miller reported that meetings have been going on throughout the week among city, state and federal law enforcement agencies in New York City about how to prepare for a possible indictment of Trump in connection with a yearslong investigation into a hush money scheme involving adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
Any indictment of the former president, who is running for reelection in 2024, would mark a historic first and quickly change the political conversation around an already divisive figure. While Trump has an extensive history of civil litigation both before and after taking office, a criminal charge would represent a dramatic escalation of his legal woes as he works to recapture the White House.
Trump did not say why he expects to be arrested. The former president has been agitating for his team to get his base riled up and believes that an indictment would help him politically, multiple people briefed on the matter told CNN.
Another witness is expected to testify Monday before the grand jury investigating the hush money payments, according to a source familiar with the investigation. It is not clear whether this would be the final witness before it votes on a possible indictment.
His legal team has been anticipating that an indictment will happen soon and has been preparing behind the scenes for the next steps.
A spokesperson for Trump said Saturday that the former president has not received a notification from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office regarding any potential indictment, but was “rightfully highlighting his innocence” in his post.
Previewing a potential line of defense from Republicans on Capitol Hill, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican, tweeted Saturday that any potential indictment of the former president would represent “an outrageous abuse of power” from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s Office declined to comment on Saturday.
Protest call reminiscent of January 6 comments
Trump has complained privately that he believes he is going to being indicted only because he thinks Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg “hates him,” according to a source familiar with what Trump has said.
His call for a protest in response to a potential arrest echoes his final days in office, when he repeatedly urged his supporters to reject the results of the 2020 presidential election, culminating in the deadly January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.
Some of Trump’s advisers had urged him privately not to call for protests, concerned about the optics of a mass protest in the streets of Manhattan growing out of control or resembling the 2021 insurrection.
Another witness scheduled to testify on Monday
https://www.cnn.com/2023/03/18/politics/donald-trump-manhattan-da-arrest-protests/index.html
Trump says he expects to be arrested Tuesday as New York law enforcement prepares for possible indictment PII
By Kaitlan Collins, Kristen Holmes and Paula Reid, CNN
Updated 12:40 PM EDT, Sat March 18, 2023