Trump indictment live updates: Police set up barricades and press arrive a day before Trump's arraignment
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- Donald TrumpPresident of the United States from 2017 to 2021
- Stormy DanielsAmerican pornographic actress and director
Donald Trump was indicted last week by a Manhattan grand jury, a first for an ex-president.
The case comes after a years-long probe into an alleged $130,000 hush-money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.
Trump is in New York City ahead of his arraignment in Manhattan court on Tuesday.
Reporters are already lining up to get a chance to attend Trump's public arraignment
Police brace for protests by erecting barricades and closing streets
NYPD erected barricades in front of Trump Tower and the courthouse in preparation for potential protests.
An NYPD spokesperson told Insider there are "no current credible threats" to the city.
Trump's legal team said cameras in the courtroom would cause a 'circus-like atmosphere.'
The former president's lawyers say they want to avoid "a circus-like atmosphere" as Trump is arraigned in a Manhattan criminal court.
Trump himself has called for mass protests outside on social media.
The NYC park where Marjorie Taylor Greene is hosting the rally for Trump used to be an open sewer the city tried to fill in with land but it sunk (and stunk)
Hours before former President Donald Trump plans to surrender to the Manhattan District Attorney Tuesday, Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene will join a rally in New York City's Collect Pond Park to protest the former president's indictment.
But the park — just steps outside of the DA's office in downtown Manhattan — wasn't always the patch of greenery inside New York's concrete jungle. The small area was once a pond filled with drinking water that later became a disgusting, stinky open sewer and the center of a gang-filled slum where mobsters like Lucky Luciano and Al Capone got their start.
The only way you'll see Donald Trump's mugshot is if someone leaks it or he shares it himself
The indicted former US president will be fingerprinted and will pose for a mugshot ahead of his New York City courtroom arraignment on Tuesday, but the photograph won't be made public unless it is leaked or released by Trump himself.
Under New York law, mugshots are not public records.
Trump has left Florida on his jet before his arraignment on Tuesday
Donald Trump's jet departed from Florida Monday afternoon, according to an Instagram account tracking its movements.
The 757 airliner — which is decked out with the word "Trump" painted on it — left West Palm Beach.
Trump was expected to leave Florida on Monday before his arraignment in Manhattan court on Tuesday.
Trump announces Mar-a-Lago speech hours after Tuesday arraignment
Former President Donald Trump announced Sunday that he would be speaking at his Palm Beach club Mar-a-Lago Tuesday evening at 8:15 p.m. — hours after his arraignment in New York.
Trump is scheduled to be arraigned Tuesday afternoon. Then, he will be flying into New York on Monday night to voluntarily surrender himself on Tuesday, ahead of his appearance before a judge.
It's pretty much a certainty that Trump will remain free afterward, probably without any bail set at all, Insider's Laura Italiano reported.
Under New York's recently changed progressive bail laws, defendants can be ordered held on bail only if the judge finds that they are a flight risk.
John Bolton says if Manhattan DA case flops, it could be 'rocket fuel' for the former president
Former national security advisor John Bolton said that if the Manhattan district attorney squanders Donald Trump's criminal case, it could be "rocket fuel" for the former president's campaign.
"I'm not worried about Alvin Bragg hurting Donald Trump. I'm worried about Alvin Bragg benefiting Donald Trump," Bolton told CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday, referring to the DA overseeing the ex-president's criminal case.
Chris Christie says the 'bravado from the Trump camp' toward the indictment 'is baloney' as the former president's arraignment approaches
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said the "bravado" displayed by former President Donald Trump after being indicted by a Manhattan grand jury is "baloney."
Speaking on a panel on Sunday's "This Week" on ABC News, Christie said he was mostly reserving commentary on the content of the indictment because he wanted to read it first, but then proceeded to offer several minutes of commentary.
A grand jury indicted Trump last week after an investigation by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Brag into hush money paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 election.
Trump lawyer Joe Tacopina says his client has a 'right to have an issue with everything' after Trump goes after Manhattan judge
Joe Tacopina, an attorney for Donald Trump, said the former president has a "right to have an issue with everything" after Trump claimed a judge involved in his Manhattan criminal case was biased against him.
Tacopina echoed Trump's claims that a grand jury indictment handed down last week in Manhattan was a form of political persecution, but he stopped short of saying that he would request a different judge.
"Had he not been running for the presidency, he would not have been indicted," Tacopina said of Trump on CNN's "State of the Union" on Sunday. "We are going to take the indictment, evaluate all our legal options, and pursue every one most vigorously."
Former Arkansas GOP Gov. Asa Hutchinson announces run for president, says Trump should 'step aside' from the race after his indictment
Former Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas formally announced that his is running for president on Sunday.
Just two days earlier, on Friday, Hutchinson said former President Donald Trump should "step aside" from the 2024 presidential race after his indictment by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.
During an appearance on Fox Business, Hutchinson pointed to the integrity of serving in elected office as he spoke of the former president's criminal inquiry.
"When a public official is indicted, I think with regard to the office, the office is more important than the person and they should step aside. That standard should apply here. It is a distraction," Hutchinson said on the network.
Trump surges to a 26-point lead over Ron DeSantis in the 2024 GOP presidential primary post-indictment: poll
Former President Donald Trump was already the front-runner among Republicans in the 2024 race for the White House, edging out a likely but yet-to-be-announced contender in Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida.
But with his indictment by a Manhattan grand jury, Trump has surged ahead in a head-to-head matchup against DeSantis in a new Yahoo News/YouGov poll, beating the Sunshine State politician by 26 percentage points among registered Republican voters and Independents who lean Republican.
In the poll, 57% of those asked said they would vote for Trump, while 31% indicated that they would back DeSantis, which was one of the first surveys to be conducted after Thursday's indictment.
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Trump's legal team may ask to move his criminal trial from Manhattan to more conservative-leaning Staten Island, report says
Former President Donald Trump's defense team is considering asking to move his criminal trial to more conservative-leaning Staten Island, fearing that the former president wouldn't be able to receive a fair trial in Manhattan, according to Bloomberg.
Trump's attorneys have not yet determined their final course of action on the matter, however, and are looking to first review the charges in the indictment from Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg Jr., an unnamed source told the news agency.
The request has the veneer of politics, as Manhattan — or New York County — is one of the most Democratic-heavy jurisdictions in the country. Staten Island, meanwhile, has long been the most conservative of New York City's give boroughs.
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Trump Organization employees were 'really happy' about Trump's indictment, Maggie Haberman says
New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman on Friday said several Trump Organization employees texted her expressing their happiness over former President Donald Trump's indictment by the Manhattan District Attorney's office in connection with a hush money payment made to the adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
After a Manhattan grand jury voted to indict Trump, Haberman, who wrote the book "Confidence Man" and is widely seen as the most prominent chronicler of the former president's tenure in the White House, said during a panel interview on CNN's "This Morning" that she began receiving messages from employees soon after news broke of his indictment.
"There is a long trail of people who feel burned in one way or another by Donald Trump. We certainly saw that in the White House," she said. "This was a pattern that existed for decades before the Trump Organization."
Michael Cohen's lawyer says case against Trump is 'very solid' and jurors only need ask themselves if Trump had 'any political motivation' for the Stormy Daniels payment
Michael Cohen's attorney believes the criminal case against Donald Trump in the Manhattan District Attorney's investigation is "very solid" though it's "not going to be an easy case."
Cohen, Trump's longtime political fixer turned political adversary, is expected to be a "principal witness" in the case if it goes to trial, attorney Lanny Davis told NBC's "Meet the Press NOW" on Friday.
"It's not going to be an easy case because they do have to create a novel law," Davis said. "But here is why I think it's a very, very solid case, maybe more solid than any of the other cases. Everyone's missing this."
There is only "one question that the jury has to ask and answer," Davis told NBC News host Chuck Todd.
"The legal issue will be decided by a judge, but the factual question is very simple: Did Donald Trump have any political motivation when he directed Michael to pay $130,000 to Stormy?" Davis said. "Any."
Donald Trump's NFT trading cards jumped in value to almost $1,700 after Manhattan indictment
Donald Trump's digital trading card NFTs have spiked in value, with the highest sale at nearly $1,700 following his indictment in the Manhattan district attorney's investigation.
According to Newsweek, the floor price of Trump's NFT trading cards was 0.41 Ethereum (ETH), or about $748 USD, on March 30 when Trump was indicted.
As of publication on April 1, the floor price ticked up 1.9% to $967.38, or 0.5299 ETH, according to NFT Price Floor, a site that indexes and complies data on NFT trading and marketplaces.
Trump's NFTs had an average sale of 0.5737 ETH, or roughly $1,000 — rising 1.45% in the last 24 hours. The highest sale soared to 0.9298 ETH, which equates to nearly $1,700 — an increase of 10.16% in the same period, according to the site.
Trump raised more than $4 million within 24 hours following grand jury indictment, his campaign says
Trump raised more than $4 million within 24 hours after news broke that a Manhattan grand jury had voted to indict him, his campaign said on Friday.
The campaign made the revelation in a press release and email to subscribers, which described the case as the "Alvin Bragg witch hunt."
The statement hailed the influx of donations and said that over 25% came from first-time donors and that the average contribution was $34.
Trump's indictment may 'embolden' prosecutors to bring more charges against him for January 6 and his efforts to overturn the election, legal experts say
Former President Donald Trump's list of legal woes could get more complicated following his indictment by a New York grand jury on Thursday.
Trump is the first ex-president to ever be charged with a crime after an investigation into a hush-money payment made to the adult-film actress Stormy Daniels. Although the charges have not yet been made public, ex-Manhattan prosecutors say that Trump risks felony-level state records-fraud charges that carry punishments of up to four years in prison.
The chances of him going to prison, however, are slim to none.
But several legal experts told Insider the indictment could make other prosecutors "emboldened" to charge him in other ongoing investigations related to his role in the Capitol riot, an alleged scheme to overturn election results in Georgia, and his handling of government records.
Can Trump still run for president after being indicted?
Former President Donald Trump has been indicted by a grand jury in New York, triggering a wave of questions about the indictment's potential implications on his 2024 presidential campaign, and whether Trump could go on to serve as president again after being formally accused of a felony crime.
A presidential candidate can, indeed, still run for office despite being indicted for a crime, according to the US Constitution.
What is an indictment? What it means for someone to be indicted by a grand jury and why Trump was charged
A Manhattan grand jury voted to indict former President Donald Trump on Thursday after hearing evidence for months about his alleged role in a hush-money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
With that vote, 76-year-old Trump became the first former US president ever to be indicted on criminal felony charges in American history.
So what does it mean to be indicted? An indictment is a formal notice to a defendant that they have been charged with a crime, according to the US Department of Justice.
Trump to fly to New York Monday night ahead of Tuesday arraignment: reports
Trump will fly to New York Monday night, the eve of his expected arraignment, per the Washington Post.
Trump lead attorney Susan Necheles told Insider that Trump is expecting to voluntarily surrender on Tuesday at Manhattan Criminal Court. Final arrangements were still being hammered out on Friday among the NYPD, court staff and the Secret Service, she said.
Is Trump going to jail?
The chances of Donald Trump spending any time behind bars over his historic New York indictment are slim to none, according to legal experts.
First-offenders virtually never go to jail on the kind of non-violent, low-level felonies that Trump's lawyers currently believe he faces, from an indictment with an expected top charge of falsifying business records in the first degree,
But Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg can still seek to lock Trump up if he is convicted, experts told Insider, given that felony falsifying of business records allows a sentence of anywhere from zero jail time up to a maximum of four years in prison.
Prosecutors can also ask for more likely penalties — including a hefty fine, community service, and probation — in the event that the 76-year-old former president is convicted.
Meet Juan Merchan, the Manhattan judge scheduled to oversee Donald Trump's criminal case
Following his indictment this week, Donald Trump is poised to face an old nemesis in court: Judge Juan Manuel Merchan.
Merchan is overseeing the Manhattan district attorney's criminal case against the ex-president. He was spotted going into a Manhattan courthouse on Thursday evening, likely to review the indictment voted on by a grand jury hours earlier. That same day, he issued an order allowing prosecutors to disclose the existence of the indictment, which is normally a closely-held secret. On Friday, court security put extra restrictions near his chambers.
Trump and Merchan have a history. The judge oversaw last fall's criminal trial against the Trump Organization. The company's CFO, Allen Weisselberg, pleaded guilty to financial crime charges and testified in the case. A jury convicted Trump's company of numerous financial fraud charges.
Trump isn't fond of the judge.
Trump's lawyers promise a 'smooth surrender' but don't expect him to take a plea deal
Donald Trump's lead attorney doesn't expect the former president to take a plea deal, adding that he's a "tough guy" who is "resolved to fight" against any and all charges brought his way.
Still lawyer Susan Necheles told Insider "it will be a smooth surrender" when Trump turns himself in to face the charges against him.
Lindsey Graham says Trump should 'smash some windows,' sniping at New York's crime policies
Sen. Lindsey Graham joked that Trump should "punch a cop" on his way to being booked in Manhattan, saying it would be a way for Trump to avoid prosecution.
The barb was a reference to Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg's crime policies in New York City, which Republicans have targeted as far back as the 2022 election as being too soft on criminals.
Ivanka Trump offers up short statement after her father's indictment
The former first daughter wrote in an Instagram story that she was "pained" for her father and country.
Her three-sentence-long statement added: "I appreciate the voices across the political spectrum expressing support and concern."
Manhattan DA office blasts House Republicans
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's office brushed off House GOP's threats of investigation, warning three committee chairmen not to interfere with the prosecution of former President Donald Trump.
"Like any other defendant, Mr. Trump is entitled to challenge these charges in court and avail himself of all processes and protections that New York State's robust criminal procedure affords," a lawyer for Bragg's office wrote in a letter dated Friday to Reps. Jim Jordan of Ohio, James Comer of Kentucky, and Bryan Steil of Wisconsin, chairmen of the powerful House Judiciary, Oversight, and Administration committees, respectively.
"What neither Mr. Trump nor Congress may do is interfere with the ordinary course of proceedings in New York State," the DA's general counsel, Leslie Dubeck, added.
Trump's indictment kickstarts a round of memes
While the news of the indictment stirred Trump, his allies, his opponents, and the media into a frenzy, it also spurred some top-quality memes across social media, from references to the popular show "Succession" to Gwyneth Paltrow ski trial comparisons.
Trump was smiling and glad-handing fans at Mar-a-Lago as news of his indictment crashed around him, resort guests say
Former President Donald Trump was all smiles Thursday night, guests told Insider, describing an alternate reality at his Mar-a-Lago club as news of his historic indictment broke.
Trump is 'ready to be combative' defending himself, his lawyer says in NBC interview
NBC's "Today" show interviewed Trump lawyer Joe Tacopina on Friday, who said his client is "ready to be combative" in defending himself.
Tacopina said Trump was "initially shocked" by the news of the indictment, appearing to confirm reporting from news outlets which said the news caught him off-guard.
He said that shock was soon replaced by "typical Donald Trump posture where he's ready to be combative on something that he believes is an injustice."
Tacopina also told NBC that there's "zero" chance Trump will take a plea deal, adding: "It's not gonna happen."
He said raised the prospect that the charges may not even make it to trial, saying there were "substantial legal challenges," though he did not give specifics.
Recap: Where we stand the morning after Trump's indictment made history
It's been around 12 hours since news broke that former President Donald Trump was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury, a first for an ex-president.
Since then, his allies rallied to his defense and even his 2024 rivals, Gov. Ron DeSantis and former VP Mike Pence, joined in.
Meanwhile, Stormy Daniels, the porn star who received the hush-money payment at the center of the case, said she has been celebrating with champagne.
Demonstrators congregated outside the Manhattan DA's office last night, while others met outside Mar-a-Lago, where Trump was staying.
Trump raged at being "INDICATED" — seemingly not noticing his typo — and is said to have been shoring up his support since.
He is planning to surrender to authorities next week, his lawyer Joe Tacopina said.
You can find more detail below, and Insider will be bringing more updates through Friday as the story develops.
Trump calls Capitol Hill allies to bolster support, tells them he will fight charges: CNN
Trump has been calling up allies on Capitol Hill for "check-ins" and to bolster support following the announcement of his indictment, GOP sources told CNN's Capitol Hill reporter Melanie Zanona.
He spoke to members of the House GOP leadership and lawmakers serving on committees that are trying to investigate Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, telling them he plans to fight the charges, Zanona said on Twitter.
People on Chinese social media say Trump's indictment embarrassed the US and made China look good
The indictment has Chinese social media users posting a flurry of memes calling him "Comrade Nation Builder" — a hero who's strengthening China by embarrassing the US.
The idea behind the "Comrade Nation Builder" nickname on Weibo, China's version of Twitter, is that Trump is an ally of China who went to Washington for the sole purpose of sabotaging America with wild antics and outrageous policies.
"Would you like to join the Party, Comrade Nation Builder?" a person on Weibo wrote, referring to the Chinese Communist Party, which Trump considers a sworn enemy.
Trump went from joking about 'golden handcuffs' to being 'irritated' and 'deflated,' Washington Post reports
Trump was joking with aides and in high spirits which vanished when the New York indictment took him and his staffers by surprise, per The Washington Post.
The Post spoke to an aide who said Trump was joking about "golden handcuffs" in the days before he was indicted. He thought an indictment would not come for weeks, if at all, two advisers told The Post.
One of the two advisers the Post spoke to said Trump quickly became "irritated" and "deflated" after the indictment.
New York prosecutors wanted Trump to surrender on Friday, but Trump's lawyers said the Secret Service needs more time to prepare his escort: Politico
The Manhattan district attorney's office wanted former President Donald Trump to surrender on Friday, but his lawyers said the Secret Service needed more time to arrange his escort, Politico reported.
Trump, who was indicted on Thursday by a New York grand jury, is due in court on April 4.
The negotiation around Trump's protection was confirmed by Joe Tacopina, Trump's lawyer, and an unnamed source in law enforcement, per Politico.
Michael Cohen says Trump will join him in the ranks of 'convicted felons' soon: 'See you on Tuesday, pal'
Michael Cohen, former President Donald Trump's one-time personal lawyer and fixer, gloated on CNN about how Trump may soon join him in the ranks of convicted felons.
Speaking to CNN, Cohen admitted that he was a "convicted perjurer," a "convicted felon," and a "disbarred lawyer."
But Cohen — who Trump's spokespeople have previously labeled a "disbarred felon" in statements to Insider — also alluded on CNN to how the label of "felon" might soon apply to Trump, too.
"Oh by the way for Donald, since we're talking about convicted felons, see you on Tuesday, pal," Cohen said, referring to the day that Trump is expected to be arraigned.
Mike Pence, who Trump supporters said they wanted to hang during the Capitol riot, is still defending Trump post-indictment
Former Vice President Mike Pence — who a pro-Trump mob threatened to kill during the Capitol riot — found a way to defend his ex-boss former President Donald Trump on CNN.
Speaking to CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Thursday, Pence called the "unprecedented indictment" of a former president an "outrage."
"I really do believe that this decision today is a great disservice to the country. And the idea that for the first time in American history, a former president would be indicted on a campaign finance issue to me, it just smacks of political prosecution," Pence said.
"I know President Trump can take care of himself in the courtroom, and he ought to focus on that right now," Pence added.
Lindsey Graham tried to fundraise for Trump on Fox News hours after the former president was indicted
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham tried to raise money for former President Donald Trump's 2024 campaign just hours after the latter was indicted.
"But you need to help this man, Donald J. Trump, they're trying to drain him dry. He's spent more money on lawyers than most people spend on campaigns," said Graham, a longtime Trump ally, in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity.
"Give the man some money so he can fight," Graham added.
Stormy Daniels says orders for 'Team Stormy' merch are 'pouring in' after Trump's indictment
Adult film actress Stormy Daniels said orders are "pouring in" for her merchandise and autographs after former President Donald Trump was indicted on Thursday.
"Thank you to everyone for your support and love! I have so many messages coming in that I can't respond," tweeted Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford. "Also don't want to spill my champagne."
Daniels' tweets about the Trump indictment have been nothing short of jubilant. It's unsurprising considering that since 2018, she has sued Trump, called him a liar, repeatedly poked fun at him, and tussled online with the former president's supporters.
As more signs indicated that Trump would be indicted, the self-described porn star also began promoting her merchandise store, which sells products such as calendars, apparel, and signed photos.
Trump's Truth Social post about respecting the grand jury aged really poorly
Former President Donald Trump on Wednesday said he had "SUCH RESPECT" for the New York grand jury — but he was singing a different tune just one day later, after he got indicted.
In a Truth Social post on Wednesday, before getting indicted, Trump wrote: "I HAVE GAINED SUCH RESPECT FOR THIS GRAND JURY, & PERHAPS EVEN THE GRAND JURY SYSTEM AS A WHOLE."
In a Truth Social post after his indictment, however, Trump seemed to have lost his newfound respect for the jury.
"These Thugs and Radical Left Monsters have just INDICATED the 45th President of the United States of America," Trump wrote on Thursday. "THE USA IS NOW A THIRD WORLD NATION, A NATION IN SERIOUS DECLINE. SO SAD!"
Trump's grip on the GOP is so total that even his 2024 rivals, from DeSantis to Pence, are rallying to him after the indictment
Current and would-be Republican rivals largely rallied behind Donald Trump on Thursday, illustrating the difficulty the former president's primary foes will face as they try to navigate the fallout from a historic indictment.
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Trump's best-positioned potential rival, vowed not to cooperate with any extradition requests Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg may need to get Trump out of Florida. Insider previously reported how DeSantis has little power to thwart such a request as the Constitution requires interstate extradition.
"The weaponization of the legal system to advance a political agenda turns the rule of law on its head," DeSantis, who is expected to announce a presidential campaign in May, said in a statement. "It is un-American."
What we know so far
Reporter Oma Seddiq took a step back to explain what we know so far in the Trump indictment case, including how it may impact his campaign.
DeSantis says Florida won't help extradite Trump
Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida pledged Thursday that state officials would not help extradite former President Donald Trump from Florida to New York in a charged political attack on the prosecutor.
DeSantis in a statement on Twitter accused Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of "stretching the law to target a political opponent," though he didn't name Trump or Bragg.
Trump is required by law to appear before a judge to address the criminal charges and is expected to voluntarily do so — rendering the extradition question moot for DeSantis, who is expected to enter the GOP presidential race soon where he'll need to siphon support from Trump's base.
Trump faces more than 30 counts related to business fraud: report
Though the exact charges are still sealed, sources tell CNN that Trump faces more than 30 counts as part of the indictment.
Those low-level felony charges will likely relate to the 2016 election-eve hush-money payment to Stormy Daniels. They carry a potential maximum sentence of four years in prison. But a judge could also set a sentence of as little as zero jail plus probation.
Why Biden has to stay quiet
Given the rancor between the current president and his predecessor, Joe Biden may be tempted to celebrate Donald Trump becoming the first former president to get slapped with an indictment.
Biden could certainly high-five First Lady Jill Biden in private. But in public, there are myriad reasons why Democrats hope Biden will play this unprecedented event in about as boring a way as possible.
The indictment will not be unsealed until Trump is arraigned
A source familiar with the case's planning tells Insider that Trump's indictment will be a felony, and will not be unsealed until Trump is arraigned.
The former president is expected to surrender to authorities next week, according to his lawyer Joe Tacopina.
Donald Trump Jr. decries his father's indictment
Trump Jr. took to Rumble, an online video platform, on Thursday to interrupt a scheduled airing of his interview with Joe Kent, a failed 2022 congressional candidate, to rant about the indictment.
In the live segment, Trump Jr. called out Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and painted him as a corrupt prosecutor supported by billionaire George Soros — a false claim that likely stems from the fact that Soros funded a nonprofit called Color of Change which has donated to Bragg. A Soros spokesperson previously told Insider that none of the funds from Soros were specifically earmarked for Bragg.
Trump Jr. also incorrectly stated that the district attorney is indicting Trump. Prosecutors can only bring forward evidence of a particular crime such as witness testimony. A New York grand jury ultimately voted to indict Trump.
Trump Jr. added that the indictment was "weaponized justice at its absolute worst" and gave vague and ominous premonitions that this case represents a "battle for our existence."
Stormy Daniels reacts to Trump's indictment
Adult film star Stormy Daniels offered a two-word response to Thursday's news that a grand jury had voted to indict Donald Trump.
Daniels quote-tweeted a Twitter user arguing that Trump's indictment, which is likely linked to a $130,000 payment to the porn star ahead of the 2016 election, should not be cause for celebration, but should instead be allowed to play out in the justice system.
"Thank you," Daniels wrote.
Here's a timeline that spells out when Trump's marriages started and ended, as well as alleged and confirmed affairs and accusations of sexual misconduct that reportedly occurred during these periods:
Wrongly accused Central Park 5 member cheered Trump's indictment
In 1989, Trump bought newspaper advertisements calling for New York State to adopt the death penalty after an attack on a Central Park jogger.
He made clear that he was speaking out because of the attack, though the ads did not explicitly call for the death penalty for the Central Park 5, the five Black and Latino teenagers who were wrongly convicted of assaulting and raping a White woman in Central Park.
Now that Trump has been indicted in New York, a member of that exonerated group has a concise response: "Karma."
Trump raged about being 'INDICATED' in social media post about his indictment
Former President Donald Trump complained on Thursday about being "indicated" in New York, adding in all caps that "THIS IS AN ATTACK ON OUR COUNTRY THE LIKES OF WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE."
Bragg's office: DA is coordinating with Trump's attorneys for his surrender
A spokesperson for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg confirmed Trump's team was notified of his indictment Thursday evening.
"This evening we contacted Mr. Trump's attorney to coordinate his surrender to the Manhattan D.A.'s Office for arraignment on a Supreme Court indictment, which remains under seal," the spokesperson said. "Guidance will be provided when the arraignment date is selected."
Trump and his aides were caught off guard by his indictment, believing it was weeks away: New York Times
Trump and his aides were caught off guard by news of his indictment, believing the decision wouldn't come for weeks, according to The New York Times' Maggie Haberman.
The former US president is currently at Mar-a-Lago planning his next moves after the New York grand jury's decision to indict him, per the Times. Some advisors had been confident that the vote wouldn't come until the end of April.
Trump's GOP allies rally to his defense, blasting indictment as a 'politically motivated prosecution'
Former President Donald Trump's Republican allies in Congress are rallying to his defense after a Manhattan grand jury on Thursday voted to indict him — the first former president in American history to face criminal charges.
"A majority of Americans know Alvin Bragg's witch hunt is a politically motivated prosecution," Gaetz continued, referring to the Manhattan district attorney. "I continue to stand with President Trump as he has always stood with us."
Trump expected to surrender next week, his lawyer confirms
Trump is expected to surrender to authorities next week, according to his lawyer Joe Tacopina.
A trio of demonstrators outside the Manhattan DA's office unfurled a banner to celebrate Trump's indictment
Michael Cohen, a witness against Trump, says he thinks the former president 'is petrified'
Michael Cohen, Donald Trump's former fixer-turned-nemesis, said in a statement Thursday that "no one is above the law."
He went on to say that he stands by his testimony to the Manhattan DA's office.
Cohen previously pleaded guilty to making a hush-money payment to Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election and was called as a witness before the grand jury that ultimately indicted Trump.
Cohen also told MSNBC he believes Trump is "petrified" and that "this is one of his biggest fears."
Fox News gasps, rallies around Trump as he is indicted
Fox News anchors gasped in the studio as news broke about Trump's indictment.
But some Fox News hosts immediately rallied around Donald Trump on Thursday evening.
"It is the stupidest thing I've ever seen, and I feel bad for the guy," co-host Jesse Watters said during the live taping of "The Five."
As Trump has done previously, other hosts turned their ire on Bragg himself.
"He's such an incompetent boob," host Greg Gutfeld chimed in when another host was discussing how the indicted will now be part of history.
Gutfeld also called the prosecutor "the MAGA Republican of the year," predicting that the charges have now secured Trump the GOP presidential nomination.
Donald Trump becomes the first former president to be criminally charged in US history
Donald Trump is the first former president to ever be criminally charged in US history.
A Manhattan grand jury has indicted Trump, his attorney, Joe Tacopina, confirmed to Insider.
His indictment will likely interfere with his third bid for president in the upcoming 2024 election.
The indictment comes after a years-long investigation by the Manhattan district attorney's office into Trump's business dealings and whether he violated New York state laws when his lawyer paid $130,000 to Stormy Daniels.
Daniels says she and Trump had an affair in the 2000s, and that he and his lawyer, Michael Cohen, paid her to keep quiet during the 2016 election campaign. Cohen took a plea deal with prosecutors and has said that Trump approved of the payment.
Trump has denied that there was ever an affair and said he has done "absolutely nothing wrong," calling the probe politically motivated.
Stormy Daniels made a surprise appearance in Manhattan DA's Trump probe just before the indictment
Adult film star Stormy Daniels met with New York prosecutors last Wednesday over their probe into former President Donald Trump's hush money payment to her in 2016, her lawyer, Clark Brewster, said.
Brewster said Daniels "responded to questions and has agreed to make herself available as a witness, or for further inquiry if needed."
Daniels said she had an affair with Trump in the mid-2000s and that he and former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen paid her in exchange for her silence during Trump's first presidential campaign.
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