Trump claims he will be arrested Tuesday, calls for protests. A Trump spokesperson later said there has been “no notification” of an arrest.
Former President Donald Trump claimed in a post on his social media platform that he will be arrested on Tuesday related to the Manhattan district attorney’s investigation into hush money payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
As part of the post, Trump also called on his supporters to protest.
In a statement, a Trump spokesperson appeared to walk back the comments.
The spokesperson said there is no notification the DA “has decided to take his Witch-Hunt to the next level. President Trump is rightfully highlighting his innocence and the weaponization of our injustice system. He will be in Texas next weekend for a giant rally.”
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However in an email to staff, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said he would not be intimidated by calls for protest as he considers whether to make Trump the first former president to face criminal charges.
“We do not tolerate attempts to intimidate our office or threaten the rule of law in New York,” Bragg said in the emai obtained by ABC News.
The email was sent Saturday evening, hours after Trump posted on social media that he expected to be arrested.
Bragg’s email did not mention Trump by name but referenced “the ongoing press attention and public comments surrounding an ongoing investigation by this office.”
Bragg told his staff their safety “is our top priority” and said the office “will continue to coordinate” with the NYPD and Office of Court Administration on matters of security.
“Our law enforcement partners will ensure that any specific or credible threats against the office will be fully investigated and that the proper safeguards are in place so all 1600 of us have a secure work environment,” the email said. “I’m the meantime, as with all of our investigations, we will continue to apply the law evenly and fairly and speak publicly only when appropriate.”
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., criticized the probe as politically motivated and said he’s directing relevant congressional committees to investigate whether New York prosecutors have federal funds.
“Here we go again — an outrageous abuse of power by a radical DA who lets violent criminals walk as he pursues political vengeance against President Trump,” McCarthy tweeted Saturday. “I’m directing relevant committees to immediately investigate if federal funds are being used to subvert our democracy by interfering in elections with politically motivated prosecutions.”
Former Vice President Mike Pence also called the probe a “politically charged prosecution” during a gaggle with reporters on Saturday in Iowa.
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“The idea of indicting a former president of the United States is deeply troubling to me,” Pence said. He added, “I know, I know President Trump can take care of himself.”
Former Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., said Trump’s statement Saturday calling for protests was “reckless.”
“Whatever the Grand Jury decides, its consideration makes clear: no one is above the law, not even a former President of the United States,” Pelosi tweeted. “The former president’s announcement this morning is reckless: doing so to keep himself in the news & to foment unrest among his supporters.”
