Fearing an imminent arrest, Donald Trump last month urged his supporters to take to the streets.
“THE LEADING REPUBLIC CANDIDATE AND FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES WILL BE ARRESTED TUESDAY NEXT WEEK,” the 76-year-old, who is running his third Oval Office campaign, wrote on his Truth social media page. “PROTEST, RETURN OUR PEOPLE!”
The reaction has so far been muted, with many fearing arrest if they take to the streets. Authorities made only one arrest.
But some senior supporters of the populist ex-president have promised to be present outside the courthouse when he enters on Tuesday. Among them is Georgia’s far-right congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Green, who will join New York’s Young Republicans.
“Protesting is a constitutional right and I will travel to New York on Tuesday to protest this unprecedented abuse of our justice system and election interference,” she tweeted. “They are not following President Trump, they are following us. He just gets in their way.”
Ms Green, 48, said some of Trump’s enemies may be trying to organize a so-called “black ops” operation to create problems and frame his supporters.
“I am also against any attempt and anyone who dresses in MAGA. [Make America Great Again] but he incites or commits violence by posing as one of us,” Ms Green added.
America’s largest city is especially vigilant as Trump appears in court to answer criminal charges — for the first time in history, many are worried about the prospect of violence like the one the world saw on January 6, 2021.
“Trump used the indictment to raise money from his base and bolster support for Republicans who wanted to get away from Trump,” said Larry Sabato, a professor of political science at the University of Virginia. I.
“He didn’t expand his base, but he lured some back after defecting from DeSantis and others.”
All uniformed New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers are on standby, and cordons are posted around the New York County Supreme Court in lower Manhattan. Several roads are closed.
Cordons have been set up around Trump Tower, where Trump is expected to spend the night, in anticipation of possible protests. Additional barricades would also be erected at the Capitol in Washington, DC.
“Officers are on high alert and the department remains ready to respond if necessary and ensure that everyone can peacefully exercise their rights,” the NYPD said in a statement.
Lawyers for the 76-year-old Republican say he will plead not guilty to 30 counts of allegedly paying silence money to former porn star Stormy Daniels. Specific details will not be announced until he appears in court.
“He’s the one who will be ready for this fight,” Trump’s lawyer Joe Takopina told ABC News. “We are ready for this fight. And I’m looking forward to moving this thing as soon as possible to free him.
Many Americans of all political persuasions were shocked last week when Manhattan District Attorney Democrat Alvin Bragg confirmed that a grand jury had prepared an indictment and subpoenaed Trump.
Like any other defendant, Trump will be fingerprinted. He may or may not take a photograph before being brought before New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Mercan. Unlike other defendants, Trump is accompanied by a dozen US Secret Service agents. Unlike most defendants, Mr. Trump was spared a “group brawl” by the media and was released on bail “on his own.”
He will immediately leave the city from LaGuardia Airport and return to Florida just in time for prime time to address the fans.
No U.S. president has ever been prosecuted, and while his supporters claim he was the victim of a “political witch hunt,” they recognize that what is happening goes beyond what happened to Richard Nixon, who stepped down from the presidency in 1974. year. It became clear that he would be charged for his role in the Watergate scandal. He was later pardoned by President Gerald Ford.
At the same time, there is also something like “only in America” in the episode. Former star Mr. Intern are suing for alleged falsification of company records relating to an alleged $130,000 payment to Ms. Daniels, also known as Stephanie Clifford. This payment was allegedly made before the 2016 election to buy her silence over allegations that she and Trump had an affair in 2006. Trump won the election, a result that stunned the Democrats and their candidacy, Hillary Clinton.
Mr. Trump, who is also the subject of two other criminal investigations, either denied the affair or paid. In true Trumpian fashion, Mr. Trump attacked the prosecutor’s office as a “degenerate psychopath” and the judge before his appearance.
He also attacked his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, who pleaded guilty to making payments on behalf of his employer.
Cohen was later sentenced to three years in prison.
One thing seems certain: Events have bolstered support for Trump among Republican voters as he files his third bid for the White House.
A Yahoo News/YouGov poll following the indictment’s announcement showed Trump’s support rose by as much as 18 points. He now leads Ron DeSantis by 26 points, going from 57 to 31, from 47 to 39 a few weeks ago.
Trump’s portrayal of himself as a victim of a Democrat forced his Republican rivals for the 2024 nomination, including De Santis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, to issue statements in support of him. He also used the episode to raise millions of dollars for his campaign.
Source: I News
I am Michael Melvin, an experienced news writer with a passion for uncovering stories and bringing them to the public. I have been working in the news industry for over five years now, and my work has been published on multiple websites. As an author at 24 News Reporters, I cover world section of current events stories that are both informative and captivating to read.