Trump says he expects to be arrested and calls on supporters to protest

Donald Trump said he expected to be arrested on Tuesday and called on his supporters to protest as Manhattan prosecutors continue to investigate allegations that the former president paid hush money to a porn star to listen.

Trump, who is campaigning as the Republican candidate for the 2024 presidential election, wrote on his Truth Social platform on Saturday that he would be “arrested on Tuesday of next week,” citing unspecified leaks.

He claimed that it was “not a crime” that could be proven and that any action against him was based on “old and completely exposed. . . fairy tale”.

“Protest, TAKE BACK OUR NATION!” he chirped.

The Manhattan district attorney’s office, which is said to be handling the case, declined to comment.

Stormy Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, claimed she had an affair with Trump. The pornographic film actress sued the ex-president in 2018 to circumvent a non-disclosure agreement signed shortly before the 2016 election.

Clifford was paid $130,000 through an organization set up by Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal attorney. Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison in 2018 after pleading guilty to campaign finance violations related to the payment.

The actress previously signed a statement saying she had no relationship with the former president, which Cohen released to the media. Clifford later claimed that he had been threatened to keep quiet about the affair. Trump’s representatives have denied that he had an affair with Clifford.

The former president faces a number of legal challenges, including an investigation into the possible mishandling of government documents led by a special counsel and an investigation into his efforts to sway the 2020 election results in Georgia. Trump denies wrongdoing.

In December, the Trump Organization was convicted of tax evasion in a criminal case brought by Manhattan prosecutors. In September, New York State Attorney General Letitia James sued Trump and his three adult children for “egregious” fraud that could result in penalties of at least $250 million.

Additionally, a congressional committee investigating last year’s attack on the US Capitol said on January 6, 2021, that Trump should be tried for aiding the failed effort to overturn the 2020 election results. He also faces criminal charges of obstruction of an official government proceeding, conspiracy to defraud the United States and knowingly making false statements to authorities, the commission said.

Last February, the top two prosecutors leading the Manhattan district attorney’s criminal investigation resigned, prompting some to speculate at the time that the district attorney’s office had backed down.

Additional reporting by Joe Miller