Donald Trump has said he expects to be arrested on Tuesday and called on his supporters to protest, as Manhattan prosecutors continue to investigate allegations that the former president paid money to buy the silence of a porn star.
Trump, who is campaigning as the Republican candidate for the 2024 presidential election, wrote on Saturday on the Truth Social platform that he “will be arrested on Tuesday next week”, referring to an unspecified leak.
He claimed that “no crime” could be proven and any action against him would be “based on old & completely discredited . . . tales”.
“PROTEST, BRING OUR NATION!” He was sent.
The Manhattan district attorney’s office, which is reportedly handling the case, declined to comment.
Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, said she had an affair with Trump. The porn actress sued the former president in 2018 to pass a non-disclosure agreement made shortly before the 2016 election.
Clifford was paid $130,000 through an entity founded by Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal lawyer. Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison in 2018 after pleading guilty to charges including campaign finance violations related to the payments.
The actress previously signed a statement that she had no relationship with the former president, which was given to the media by Cohen. Clifford later claimed that he had been threatened to keep him quiet about the matter. Trump’s deputy denied he had an affair with Clifford.
The former president faces legal challenges, including an investigation into possible mishandling of government documents, led by a special counsel, as well as an investigation into efforts to tamper with the results of the 2020 election in Georgia. Trump denies wrongdoing.
In December, the Trump Organization was convicted of tax fraud in a criminal case brought by Manhattan prosecutors. In September, New York state attorney general Letitia James sued Trump and his three grown children for what she described as “egregious” fraud, a case that could result in fines of at least $250 million.
In addition, the congressional committee that investigated the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021 last year, said that Trump should be prosecuted for helping the failed attempt to cancel the results of the 2020 election. He should also be criminally prosecuted for obstructing the official government process, conspiracy to defraud the US and knowingly made false statements to authorities, the committee said.
In February of last year, the two top prosecutors leading the Manhattan district attorney’s criminal investigation resigned in a move that led to some speculation that the district attorney’s office would step down.
Several prominent Republicans, including House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, came to Trump’s defense on Saturday, accusing the prosecutors of being politically motivated.
McCarthy, who has had a rollercoaster relationship with the former president in recent years, said in a tweet that he would direct the chairman of the Republican committee in Congress to “immediately investigate if federal funds are being used to undermine our democracy by meddling in politically motivated elections. prosecution” .
“Here we are again – an abuse of power by a radical DA that allows violent criminals to run wild while seeking political revenge against President Trump,” McCarthy said.
Additional reporting by Joe Miller and Lauren Fedor