D.C. Federal Courthouse Photos Spark Donald Trump Indictment Speculation

Media teams have been setting up camp outside a courthouse in Washington D.C amid speculation that a new indictment against Donald Trump may be imminent.

Images were widely shared on social media on Sunday showing police and news production vans outside the E. Barrett Prettyman United States Courthouse, where the federal grand jury investigating attempts to overturn the 2020 election and events leading up to the January 6 attack has been meeting. Caution tape also appears to be placed around the court perimeter.

At least one media crew was also spotted outside the courtroom on Monday morning. The Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) has been contacted for comment via email.

The photos come amid speculation that Trump will soon be charged in Special Counsel Jack Smith's probe, having reportedly received a target letter on July 16 informing the former president that he is under federal investigation into the attempts to overturn the last election. Trump has denied all wrongdoing in connection to Smith's probe, and says it is "election interference."

While a timing of a potential indictment announcement in unknown, Trump wrote on Truth Social on July 18 that Smith's office told the former president that he has "a very short 4 days to report to the grand jury, which almost always means an arrest and indictment." Trump missed the deadline to appear in front of the grand jury.

Freelance reporter Johnathan Ford posted images of the news media gathered outside the D.C. courthouse, adding: "I would expect they are preparing for Indictments against Donald Trump."

Allison Gill, who tweets using the account for the Mueller, She Wrote podcast, also shared the image, adding: "I am being told there are a bunch of big news media production trucks parked outside the DC Courthouse. Anyone know how long they've been there?"

In response, Harry Sisson, a New York University student who is part of a Biden administration initiative to promote the president's 2024 campaign on social media, wryly added: "Seems like a big crowd is gathering. I wonder why."

Also responding to Gill's question, lawyer George Conway, a frequent critic of the former president, wrote "since Jan. 20, 2017," a reference to when Trump entered office.

On Monday, D.C.-based author and photographer Joe Flood shared images of media crews outside the court with the caption: "Media setting up outside the US Courthouse for possible Trump indictment."

Trump is reported to be facing charges relating to conspiracy to defraud the United States, violation of civil rights and tampering with a witness, victim, or informant as part of Smith's election and January 6 investigation.

On Sunday, Trump, the frontrunner in the GOP presidential primary, accused Smith and Attorney General Merrick Garland of engaging in "election interference" with his criminal investigations in a series of posts on Truth Social.

"Do you think that A.G. Garland, and Deranged Jack Smith, understand that we are in the middle of a major political campaign for President of the United States? Have they looked at recent poll numbers?" Trump wrote.

"Why didn't they bring these ridiculous charges years before—Why did they wait to bring them NOW—A virtually unheard of scenario? PROSECUTORIAL MISCONDUCT! ELECTION INTERFERENCE!"