On Saturday (March 18), former US President Donald Trump said that he was expecting to be “arrested” on Tuesday next week and urged his supporters to begin protests.
Trump posted on his Truth Social platform on Saturday morning, citing a “leak” from the Manhattan district attorney’s office: “Leading Republican candidate & former President of the United States of America will be arrested on Tuesday of next week. Protest, take our nation back!”
The probe is around a $130,000 payment made weeks before the 2016 election to keep Stormy Daniels, real name Stephanie Clifford, from going public about an affair she claims she had with Trump years ago.
Authorities are considering charging Trump in the case. If the Manhattan district attorney charges Trump, he will be the first former president to face criminal charges. Trump’s lawyer told CNBC on Friday evening that if a Manhattan grand jury indicts him, he will surrender to face criminal charges.
Trump has categorically denied having an affair with Daniels. He refers to “illegal leaks from a corrupt & highly political Manhattan district attorney’s office” in his message, which was written in capital letters.
Request to testify
Daniels met with prosecutors on Wednesday and “agreed to make herself accessible as a witness or for additional investigation if necessary,” according to her lawyer, Charles Brewster. Trump was given the opportunity to testify earlier this month by District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s team but is anticipated to decline in order to avoid potentially implicating himself. According to experts, the invitation indicates that he will probably certainly be charged.