Washington (CNN) Former President Donald Trump said Saturday that he is expected to be arrested in connection with a years-long investigation into a hush money scheme involving adult film actress Stormy Daniels and called on his supporters to protest such a move.
In a social media post, Trump said, referring to himself, that “the leading Republican candidate and former President of the United States will be arrested next week on Tuesday” — though he did not say why he expected to be arrested. After Trump’s post, his team said it had received no notification from lawyers.
CNN’s John Miller Meetings between city, state and federal law enforcement agencies have been underway in New York City throughout the week on possible defense arrangements for Trump, the agency said Friday.
Echoing Trump’s appeal to supporters ahead of the 2020 presidential election, he issued a call to action Saturday: “Resistance, take back our nation.”
The former president is struggling to galvanize his team and hopes an impeachment will help him politically, several people briefed on the matter told CNN.
Any indictment against the former president, who is running for re-election in 2024, would be a historic first and quickly change the political conversation around an already divisive figure. Although Trump has an extensive history of civil lawsuits before and after taking office, a criminal indictment marks a dramatic increase in his legal woes as he works to recapture the White House.
Another witness is expected to testify Monday, according to a source familiar with the investigation. It is unclear whether this will be the final testimony before a vote on a possible indictment.
Anticipating an indictment soon, Trump’s legal team is preparing behind the scenes for next steps.
Trump’s lawyer, Joe Tacobina, later said the former president based his claims on press reports.
“No one has told us anything, which is very disappointing. President Trump is basing his response on press reports,” Tacobina said in a statement to CNN.
A spokesman for Trump said earlier Saturday that the former president had not received notification of any potential indictment from the Manhattan district attorney’s office, but that his post “correctly exemplifies his innocence.”
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, a California Republican, previewed a possible line of defense from Republicans on Capitol Hill, tweeting Saturday that any potential indictment of the former president would represent an “abuse of power” by the Manhattan district attorney’s office.
Mike Pence, who served as vice president under Trump, echoed McCarthy’s message on Saturday. “Well, like many Americans, I’m — I’m stunned,” Pence told Breitbart News in a radio interview. The former vice president called the Manhattan district attorney’s investigation “a political case” that “reeks.”
The Manhattan district attorney’s office declined to comment Saturday.
A rallying call to recall the January 6 comments
Trump has privately complained to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Brock that he believes he is going to be indicted because he thinks he “hates him,” according to a source familiar with Trump’s statements.
While he has repeatedly urged his supporters to reject the results of the 2020 presidential election, he has called for a protest in response to the arrest. January 6, 2021, an attack on the US capital.
Some of Trump’s advisers have privately urged him not to call for the protests, worried that the optics of a mass protest on the streets of Manhattan would run out of control or resemble the 2021 uprising.
Another witness is scheduled to testify Monday
Trump’s security team is expected to be notified following the potential indictment, and they will then engage in surrender negotiations and make an initial appearance.
Another witness is expected to testify Monday, according to a source familiar with the investigation. It is unclear whether this will be the final testimony before a vote on a possible indictment.
Trump’s team has repeatedly said he will not accept an invitation to testify before a grand jury. But multiple sources familiar with the thinking of his legal team say he would negotiate a surrender date with the district attorney’s office if indicted.
Trump’s team plans various scenarios throughout the week, including Trump’s visit to New York and a remote hearing during his stay at Mar-a-Lago, according to sources familiar with the meetings.
Some members of Trump’s legal team are advising Trump to appear remotely for security reasons if indicted. said.
Trump is also considering hiring a new TV-friendly attorney who could handle outside media, according to reports. The former president is known for hiring lawyers and advisers based on their television presence and ability to defend him in the media.
Two lawyers currently involved in the Justice Department’s investigations surrounding the former president, Jim Trusty and Christina Papp, were brought into Trump’s lap after seeing them on television.
The campaign is adding staff to focus on messaging around the potential impeachment, which was first reported by The New York Times.
Law enforcement negotiations are ongoing
Law enforcement debates about how to navigate a possible criminal indictment by a New York District grand jury and the potential for an unprecedented arrest of a former president dances.
If he is charged, the former president is expected to surrender and undergo an interrogation and arraignment process that includes fingerprinting and a mug shot in court.
However, there may be some room to speed up how quickly Trump is processed and how long he stays in the building, the source said. For example, the source explained, authorities will immediately try to bring him before a judge.
The New York Police Department did not immediately respond to CNN’s inquiry following Trump’s posts on Saturday. But New York City law enforcement sources told CNN that the defense for possible charges against Trump was discussed as part of the NYPD’s daily briefing on Saturday morning and that social media was being monitored daily for any threats.
Law enforcement sources know Trump has a loyal following and are taking a wait-and-see approach, a source told CNN. They don’t yet know how many people will arrive in Manhattan this week, but officials are monitoring the situation. A more detailed security briefing is scheduled for Monday.
Trump’s U.S. Secret Service profile will send him to the Manhattan district attorney’s office for fingerprints, then take mugshots at the offices of the district attorney’s detective team. As is customary in cases where a defendant is allowed to voluntarily surrender, after his arrest, the former president will be brought directly before a judge, where he will be released on his own recognizance.
Law enforcement officials privy to the discussions said several concerns were discussed in the planning process, including courthouse security and demonstrations or rallies by Trump supporters outside the courthouse or counterdemonstrations by anti-Trump protesters. The two groups clash.
This story has been updated with additional updates.
