Former President Donald Trump said he expects to be arrested Tuesday in connection with a Manhattan District Attorney investigation and urged citizens to protest, according to a Saturday morning social media post.
“The far and away leading Republican candidate and former president of the United States of America will be arrested on Tuesday of next week,” Trump wrote Saturday on Truth Social, using all capital letters.
“Protest, take our nation back!” he also said.
“There has been no notification, other than illegal leaks from the Justice Dept. and the DA’s office, to NBC and other fake news carriers, that the George Soros-funded Radical Left Democrat prosecutor in Manhattan has decided to take his Witch-Hunt to the next level,” a Trump spokesperson later said, apparently walking the statement back, KABC reported.
“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,” the spokesperson also said.
In his post, Trump referenced “illegal leaks” from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office. He described the office as “corrupt and highly political.” Further, he noted that the leader of the office is funded by Leftist mega donor George Soros.
According to Trump’s post, Tuesday’s potential arrest is “based on an old and fully debunked (by numerous other prosecutors) fairy tale.”
At issue is Trump’s reported payment of hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
Last week, Trump’s attorney, Joe Tacopina, told MSBNC and other outlets the hush money payment was “not a crime.” According to Tacopina, Trump was following the advice of his then-lawyer Michael Cohen.
Cohen pleaded guilty in 2018 to a federal charge related to the payment.
Meetings regarding the pending indictment of the former president have been underway throughout the week, CNN reported. City, state, and federal law enforcement agencies have all been involved in the preparation, the outlet said.
Trump’s legal team has been preparing in advance of the possible indictment as well, CNN said. He is expected to present himself in Manhattan after formal charges have been brought.
“Take our nation back” quickly trended on Twitter following Trump’s statement.
“Remember this? Well now more than ever before it’s being proven right,” Donald Trump, Jr. wrote Saturday morning.
The former president’s son included a photo of his father along with the following words: “In reality they’re not after me. They’re after you. I’m just in the way.”
“If they can take him out they’re one step closer to taking you and your freedoms out … and apparently that’s been the plan all along.”
“I am highly critical of this case,” said Jonathan Turley, Shapiro Chair of Public Interest Law at George Washington University. “However, given recent history, Trump needs to tap down any inflammatory rhetoric as we move forward.”
Editor’s note: this story has been updated to accurately reflect the words on the photo posted by Donald Trump, Jr.