Former President Donald Trump Claims He Will Be Arrested on Tuesday in Hush Money Scheme Case
Former President Donald Trump on Saturday made a startling claim on his Truth Social platform that he will be arrested on Tuesday in connection with a criminal case involving hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels.[0] Trump called for his supporters to “Protest, take our nation back!” in an echo of the Capitol Riots of January 6, 2021.[1]
The Manhattan District Attorney's investigation has reportedly been approaching a criminal indictment against the former president for a hush-money scheme he allegedly orchestrated in 2016, with his office inviting the former president to testify before a grand jury and reportedly touching base with law enforcement agencies about what a Trump arrest might lead to.[2]
Donald Trump's former lawyer, Michael Cohen, previously pleaded guilty to his involvement in the scheme and served prison time for it.[1] He stated that he had acted upon the orders of Trump himself.[2]
“Since this is a political prosecution, the District Attorney's office has engaged in a practice of leaking everything to the press, rather than communication with President Trump's attorneys as would be done in a normal case,” one of Trump's lawyers, Susan Necheles, said in a statement to the Washington Post.[3]
A spokesperson for the Manhattan District Attorney's office declined to comment on Saturday.[4] In preparation for a potential indictment of Trump, law enforcement officials from the local, state and federal level have been coordinating with the Manhattan Criminal Court, as reported by NBC News on Friday from anonymous sources.[5]
However, Trump's legal team says there has been no notification of an arrest from prosecutors.[6] [3] Sources informed the paper that even if an indictment was issued on Monday, logistical issues would likely push back an arrest until after Tuesday.[3]
Trump is also confronting a state-level criminal investigation in Georgia over efforts to overturn the 2020 results in that state, as well as a special counsel probe into his election subversion attempt and efforts to prevent the government from reclaiming scores of sensitive national security documents stashed at his Mar-a-Lago estate.[4]
Should he be indicted, Trump would have to endure the same process which entails being booked into jail, having his fingerprints taken, and a mug shot captured.[7]
0. “How Trump's using a possible arrest to rile his base” Vox.com, 18 Mar. 2023, https://www.vox.com/2023/3/18/23646106/trump-indictment-arrest-january-6-manhattan-stormy-daniels
1. “Trump predicts imminent arrest, calls for protests” POLITICO, 18 Mar. 2023, https://www.politico.com/news/2023/03/18/trump-protest-arrest-tuesday-00087738
2. “Trump's Words Will Be Used Against Him, Glenn Kirschner Warns” Newsweek, 18 Mar. 2023, https://www.newsweek.com/trumps-words-will-used-against-him-glenn-kirschner-warns-1788714
3. “Donald Trump arrest: here are the signals so far about what's really happening in New York.” Slate, 18 Mar. 2023, https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2023/03/donald-trump-arrest-new-york-stormy-daniels-indictment.html
4. “Donald Trump says he expects to be arrested on Tuesday” Al Jazeera English, 18 Mar. 2023, https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/3/18/donald-trump-says-he-expects-to-be-arrested-on-tuesday
5. “Trump claims he ‘will be arrested’ on Tuesday in New York criminal case” The Guardian US, 18 Mar. 2023, https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/mar/18/donald-trump-arrest-stormy-daniels-
6. “Celebrities react as Trump claims he’ll be arrested on Tuesday” The Independent, 18 Mar. 2023, https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/trump-arrest-protest-stephen-king-b2303584.html
7. “What Happens Next If Donald Trump Is Indicted” TIME, 18 Mar. 2023, https://time.com/6264352/donald-trump-arrest-what-happen/
