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Updated Mar 18, 2023, 10:50am EDT
politicsNorth America

Prosecutors haven’t told Trump he’ll be arrested on Tuesday, his spokesperson says

Former U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks in Davenport, Iowa, U.S. March 13, 2023.
REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst/File Photo
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The News

Former President Donald Trump has not been told by prosecutors that he will be arrested on Tuesday, his spokesperson told Semafor in a statement, despite writing on his social media website Truth Social earlier on Saturday that he expects to be arrested Tuesday in relation to the Manhattan District Attorney’s ongoing investigation.

“NOW ILLEGAL LEAKS FROM A CORRUPT & HIGHLY POLITICAL MANHATTAN DISTRICT ATTORNEYS OFFICE … INDICATE THAT, WITH NO CRIME BEING ABLE TO BE PROVEN, & BASED ON AN OLD & FULLY DEBUNKED (BY NUMEROUS OTHER PROSECUTORS) FAIRYTALE, THE FAR & AWAY LEADING REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE & FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATE OF AMERICA, WILL BE ARRESTED ON TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK.”

A spokesperson for the former president said: “There has been no notification, other than illegal leaks from the Justice Dept. and the DA’s office” that the investigation will be taken “to the next level.”

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“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. Make America Great Again!” the spokesperson added.

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Know More

Trump is accused of making a hush-money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels just prior to the 2016 election. The former president has denied the allegations, and on Saturday morning called for a “protest” should he be indicted, echoing his calls for rallies at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.

“TAKE OUR NATION BACK!” Trump wrote.

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Notably, some of Trump’s conservative critics — and even presidential opponents — have taken his side on the subject.

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy tweeted Saturday morning that a “Trump indictment would be a national disaster.”

“This will mark a dark moment in American history and will undermine public trust in our electoral system itself. I call on the Manhattan District Attorney to reconsider this action and to put aside partisan politics in service of preserving our Constitutional republic,” he tweeted.

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Step Back

The New York Times reported recently that the Manhattan’s district attorney’s office had offered Trump an opportunity to testify before the grand jury, often an indication that a defendant will face criminal charges.

Daniels’ lawyer has said she met with prosecutors, “responded to questions and ... agreed to make herself available as a witness.”

It would be the first time in U.S. history that a former president is criminally indicted.

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