Legal

Trump fears he’ll be arrested on Tuesday

Published on

March 18, 2023

Trump in a campaign video on Friday

Former U.S. President Donald Trump says he could be arrested as early as Tuesday as part of an investigation into money paid to two women to keep quiet about alleged sexual encounters.

On his Truth Social website, Trump said he believes his arrest is imminent on the basis of “illegal leaks” from the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, which has been investigating the former president.

“Now illegal leaks from a corrupt & highly political Manhattan District Attorney’s Office … indicate that, with no crime being able to be proven … the far & away leading Republican candidate and former President of the United States of America, will be arrested on Tuesday,” he said.

Trump added: “Protest, take our nation back!”

On Friday, the Associated Press reported that law enforcement officials in New York are making security preparations for the possibility of a Trump indictment in the coming weeks, after which he’d appear in a Manhattan courtroom.

While it’s clear that the investigation into Trump has entered the final stage, the exact status of the grand jury’s work remains a secret, and it’s unknown whether a vote to indict the former president is approaching.

Former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen has said he was working at Trump’s direction when he arranged payments totaling $280,000 to porn star Stormy Daniels and Playboy model Karen McDougal to keep quiet about alleged sexual encounters.