Former President Donald Trump was “very concerned” ahead of the indictment surrounding the payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels, according to The New York Times’ Maggie Haberman.
Haberman made the comments as Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg signaled that his office might file charges against the former president, a historic move related to a $130,000 payment to Daniels in the final days of Trump’s 2016 campaign. If indicted, it would be the first time a former president has been charged. criminal charges.
The investigation is just one of several that Trump is facing: Others are investigating an attempt to overturn the results of the 2020 election in Georgia and he fled with classified documents to his Mar-a-Lago estate.
“He’s very concerned about the possibility of being indicted for a number of reasons,” Haberman told CNN’s Jake Tapper on Sunday. “Both things can be true at the same time. They know that there is reason to believe that this will help them politically … But they don’t want to be arrested, which is what happens when you are charged. You get fingerprinted. You have to be brought in. You have to ask surety. There’s not a single thing he likes very much.”
Haberman reiterated reports last week that Team Trump was preparing to attack Bragg and his associates amid the allegations, hoping to discredit the group as Democratic agents and link it to his 2024 rival, President Joe Biden. A campaign spokesman attacked the investigation last week as a “witch hunt,” threatening that America would “not tolerate” any indictments.
Trump himself said this weekend that his arrest was imminent, trying to rally his supporters and calling for protests if any charges were brought against him.
“FAR & FAR LEADING REPUBLICAN CANDIDATES AND FORMER PRESIDENTS OF THE UNITED STATES, WILL BE ARRESTED NEXT TUESDAY. PROTEST, BRING OUR NATION!” he wrote on the site Truth Social.
Haberman said the post was not part of a “grand plan” but still signaled concern about the DA’s investigation.
“He and the political people are preparing for a big political blitz to step down on the Manhattan district attorney,” Haberman said. “I don’t think the Truth Social post yesterday morning calling for a protest was part of a grand plan, he did it and many of his aides were shocked.”