Donald Trump, the former president of the United States of America, announced on Saturday, March 18th that he would be arrested in Manhattan on Tuesday, March 21. Trump made the announcement on his social media platform, Truth Social.
Arrest Claims
“THE FAR & AWAY LEADING REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE & FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WILL BE ARRESTED ON TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK,” Trump wrote. “PROTEST, TAKE OUR NATION BACK!”
In a different post, Trump further called on his supporters to protest and save the U.S.
“WE JUST CAN’T ALLOW THIS ANYMORE,” he wrote. “THEY’RE KILLING OUR NATION AS WE SIT BACK & WATCH. WE MUST SAVE AMERICA! PROTEST, PROTEST, PROTEST!!!”
Manhattan Investigation
The former president has been the subject of an investigation by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. Trump is accused of allegedly making an illegal hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. Trump and Stormy Daniels were reportedly involved in a sexual relationship in 2006. In a bid to prevent Daniels from going public about the relationship during Trump’s presidential election, Trump allegedly facilitated a $130,000 hush money payment to her. The payment to Daniels was made by Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen, who claimed he paid the money as directed by Trump. In 2018, Cohen was charged by federal authorities with campaign finance crimes, which he pled guilty to.
Manhattan DA Bragg’s case against Trump is one regarding fraud, specifically the falsification of business records.
Former president Trump alleges that he discovered news of his imminent arrest from “illegal leaks from a corrupt and highly political Manhattan district attorney’s office.” This is despite the fact Manhattan DA Bragg has not released any official details regarding an imminent arrest of the former president. A Trump spokesperson later revealed on Saturday, March 18th that Trump’s claims were based on media reports. One of Trump’s legal representatives claimed that they had not been informed by Manhattan DA Bragg’s of an impending arrest.
“No one tells us anything, which is very frustrating,” said Trump’s lawyer, Joseph Tacopina. “President Trump is basing his response on press reports, and the fact that this is a political prosecution and the DA leaks things to the press instead of communicating to the lawyers as they should.”
Law Enforcement Preparation
Reports of Trump’s imminent arrest as well as his call for his supporters to protest has allegedly led to several various law authorities making security preparations for that possibility. According to NBC News, a source informed them that the NYPD, New York State Court Officers, the U.S. Secret Service, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office are working in tandem to ensure there is security to deal with any possible problems if Trump’s arrest would go ahead. None of the above mentioned institutions have made a comment regarding preparation for Trump’s alleged arrest.
Support and Lack Thereof
This would be the first time a former president of the United States is indicted on a criminal charge. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, who was one of Trump’s supporters during his presidency, commented on the potential indictment on Twitter.
“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 wrote on Twitter. “I’m directing relevant committees to immediately investigate if federal funds are being used to subvert our democracy by interfering in elections with politically motivated prosecutions.”
Trump’s Vice President Mike Pence also commented on Manhattan DA Bragg’s possible indictment of Trump saying, “The idea of indicting a former president of the United States is deeply troubling to me, as it is to tens of millions of Americans.”
Senator Lindsey Graham claimed that the news of an impending arrest would only boost Trump’s presidential and political ambitions. “The prosecutor in New York has done more to help Donald Trump get elected president than any single person in America today,” Graham said.
Support for Trump did not come from all quarters as former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called for him to face the justice system. “The former president’s announcement this morning is reckless: doing so to keep himself in the news and to foment unrest among his supporters,” she wrote in a statement. “He cannot hide from his violations of the law, disrespect for our elections and incitements to violence.”
Trump has been a controversial and ever present player in U.S. politics and media. The former president has been banned from several social media platforms, including Twitter, following his inciting of the January 6th Insurrection. Trump created the social media platform “Truth Social” as a way to communicate with his followers. He has announced he will be running for the U.S. Presidency in 2024. It remains to be seen how his ambitions will progress considering the legal challenges former president Trump is facing.
