Donald Trump to be charged with criminal offences in historic presidential first
A grand jury has voted to criminally charge Donald Trump over his hush money payment to a porn star putting America on the brink of possible civil unrest.
It would be the first time in history a US president has ever been indicted.
According to US reports, the felony indictment, filed under seal by the Manhattan district attorney’s office, will likely be announced in the coming days.
Once arrested Trump will be fingerprinted, photographed and put in handcuffs.
The former president will be read the standard Miranda warning - told that he has the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney.
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Trump was seen partying at his Florida residence on Thursday night with his wife Melania, just hours after learning he was to be criminally charged.
The 76-year-old was pictured beaming in a suit and tie at his Mar-a-Lago mansion as his 52-year-old wife stood beside him in a red dress.
Donald Trump has been seen with wife Melania in Florida (@DrGina/Twitter)The former US President’s lawyers have said they will “vigorously fight” the indictment against him in a hush money case.
His former attorney, Joe Tacopina, said on Fox News that the charges had come as a shock to Trump, later telling the New York Post that his former client did "not commit any crime" and has now vowed to "vigorously fight this political prosecution in court".
Mr Tacopina said Trump is “likely” to turn himself in on Tuesday next week and said that he will not be handcuffed. “We’re working out those logistics right now,” he told NBC, adding “he's not gonna hole up in Mar-a-Lago.”
Tacopina insisted that Trump would not take a plea deal: “There's no crime.”
While it is not clear when Trump is formally to be arrested reports from the New York Times claim it could happen as soon as Tuesday next week.
The indictment remains sealed but reports from CNN say that it contains more than 30 criminal charges.
Only last week Trump warned of “potential death & destruction” if he's charged over the payments to Stormy Daniels.
In an unhinged overnight rant, the former president took to his Truth Social media platform to write an incendiary message.
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Trump has warned of “potential death & destruction” if he's charged next week in the Stormy Daniels hush-money case (Getty Images)“What kind of person can charge another person, in this case a former President of the United States,” he said, "who got more votes than any sitting President in history, and leading candidate (by far!) for the Republican Party nomination, with a crime, when it is known by all that NO Crime has been committed, & also known that potential death & destruction in such a false charge could be catastrophic for our country?”
The post was the clearest signal yet of an allusion to violence that could follow an indictment stemming from an investigation led by prosecutor Alvin Bragg.
Trump has labelled the Manhattan District Attorney a “degenerate psychopath.”
Trump supporters have criticised the decision to charge him (AFP via Getty Images)In an earlier post, the businessman criticised those who have called for his supporters to remain peaceful.
“EVERYBODY KNOWS I’M 100% INNOCENT, INCLUDING BRAGG,” Trump said on Truth Social, on Thursday referring to the District Attorney.
“BUT HE DOESN’T CARE. HE IS JUST CARRYING OUT THE PLANS OF THE RADICAL LEFT LUNATICS. OUR COUNTRY IS BEING DESTROYED, AS THEY TELL US TO BE PEACEFUL!”
Trump has already urged his followers to “PROTEST, take back pout nation” over his potential arrest in the case, which he wrongly predicted would happen on March 21.
His actions are being increasingly likened to his behaviour before the deadly January 6 riots two years ago where he encouraged his MAGA supporters to rise up and march on the Capitol building to prevent his election loss to Joe Biden from being ratified.
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His son Eric Trump meanwhile was scathing and said on social media: "This is third world prosecutorial misconduct. It is the opportunistic targeting of a political opponent in a campaign year."
Last week, a New York judge was forced to take the highly unusual move to protect the anonymity of a jury set to hear a civil rape case against Trump which is set to start next month.
Anti-Trump activists outside the court building where the grand during were meeting (AFP via Getty Images)The former president has denied the allegation of E Jean Carroll, a writer who claims he raped her in a Manhattan department store in the 1990s.
Judge Lewis Kaplan highlighted how jurors could face threats from Trump supporters who have been encouraged by the former president.
Thousands of uniformed police have been placed on standby in New York in case the businessman is indicted on fraud-related charges.
They centre upon a hush money payment made to porn star Stormy Daniels days before the 2016 US election to avoid her speaking publicly about her alleged affair with Trump.
The grand jury in the case against Trump is due to reconvene on Monday in New York City as police maintain an increased presence amid concerns of unrest should the court decide to go forward with an arrest.
Meanwhile, the former president is at his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida.
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