Mail Online

Protest, protest! Trump ‘incites’ backers ahead of arrest this week

From Caroline Graham

DONALD TRUMP last night called for his supporters to take to the streets to ‘protest, protest, protest’ after claiming he will be arrested on Tuesday.

The former President raged online, saying he is to be charged over allegedly paying $130,000 in ‘hush money’ to a porn star, writing: ‘The far & away leading Republican candidate & former President of the United States of America will be arrested on Tuesday of next week. Protest, take our nation back!’

He added: ‘We just can’t allow this any more. They’re killing our nation as we sit back & watch. We must save America! Protest, Protest, Protest!!!’

Trump, 76, was immediately condemned for ‘inciting violence’, with lawyer Glenn Kirschner telling MSNBC News: ‘He has now given the judge that will preside over his arraignment hearing food for thought about what kind of conditions should be set for the release of this dangerous man pending trial.’

And a prominent Democratic fundraiser told The Mail on Sunday: ‘Trump is inciting violence again. He’s a national disgrace. The danger is his crazy supporters will rally to his call and you could see bloodshed on the streets.’

Trump’s outburst echoed comments he made shortly before the 2021 riots at the US Capitol when he urged his supporters to fight the result of the 2020 presidential election which Joe Biden won.

If Trump, who is running for re-election, is charged with campaign finance violations this week, he will become the first ex-President in history to face criminal charges.

He has vehemently denied claims by porn star Stormy Daniels that she had an affair with him and that his lawyer paid her $130,000 in ‘hush money’ to protect his 2016 run for the White House.

He has claimed attempts by the Manhattan District Attorney to prosecute him on campaign finance violation charges – which could see him face a maximum sentence of four years in prison if convicted – are a witch hunt.

Twitter owner Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, said that if the former President is charged he ‘will be re-elected in a landslide victory’.

Trump’s lawyers have said he will voluntarily hand himself into police.

One of the lawyers referred to Trump’s Florida home, saying: ‘There will be no stand-off at Mar-a-Lago.’

Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen said he paid off Daniels and was later reimbursed by the ex-President.

Trump has admitted paying Cohen ‘legal expenses’.

However, he has denied knowing the payment was going to the porn star.

In 2018 Cohen pleaded guilty to breaking campaign finance laws in paying Daniels and another woman and was sentenced to three years in jail.

The former President is expected to face charges including falsifying business records and violating state election laws.

If Trump voluntarily ‘selfsurrenders’ to Manhattan police, he would be booked, fingerprinted and have his mugshot taken.

A legal source told The Mail on Sunday: ‘He would likely then be released on bond.

‘There is no chance he would be kept in prison on charges like this.’

Trump played golf yesterday before flying to Oklahoma to watch a wrestling tournament.

A spokesman for Manhattan’s District Attorney’s office declined to comment last night. A spokesman for Trump said: ‘President Trump is rightfully highlighting his innocence and the weaponisation of our injustice system.’

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2023-03-19T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-03-19T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://mailonline.pressreader.com/article/281509345423543

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