Former President Trump Predicts Arrest, US Law Enforcement Braces for Potential Protests

Former President Donald Trump has called for protests and predicted that he will be arrested on Tuesday in relation to an investigation conducted by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. On Saturday morning, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform that he expects to be arrested Tuesday and urged his supporters to “Protest, take our nation back!”

Trump is facing potential charges from the Manhattan DA's office related to a hush money payment to Stormy Daniels, as well as criminal investigations in Georgia and from Justice Department Special Counsel Jack Smith over his election subversion attempt and efforts to prevent the government from reclaiming sensitive national security documents stashed at his Mar-a-Lago estate.

The former president has reportedly complained privately that he believes he is only going to being indicted because he thinks Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg “hates him,” according to a source familiar with what Trump has said.^[0]

A spokesperson for Trump clarified in a statement following the former president’s prediction that he will be arrested on Tuesday to say that there “has been no notification, other than illegal leaks from the Justice Dept. and the DA’s office, to NBC” and other news outlets.^[1]

Law enforcement agencies are reportedly preparing for the possibility of his indictment and are discussing how to navigate the potential indictment for a criminal charge by a New York county grand jury and the choreography around the possible arrest of a former president of the United States.^[0]

Trump’s US Secret Service detail would deliver him to the Manhattan district attorney's office for fingerprinting and then taking mugshots in offices of the district attorney's detective squad.^[0] In accordance with standard protocol, the ex-president would go through the arrest processing and then be taken to the arraignment, where the judge is likely to allow him to be released on his own recognizance.^[0]

Discussions in the planning process have included several points of concern for law enforcement officials, such as courthouse security and the possibility of demonstrations or rallies near the courthouse by either Trump supporters or anti-Trump protesters, with the danger of conflict between the two groups.^[0]

On Wednesday, Stormy Daniels, an adult film star, declared that she had interacted with prosecutors from the Manhattan district attorney's office as part of the investigation into a hush payment obtained from Donald Trump's lawyer in 2016.^[1]

0. “Trump says he expects to be arrested Tuesday; Law enforcement prepares for possible protests” CBS News, 18 Mar. 2023, https://www.cbsnews.com/atlanta/news/trump-says-he-expects-to-be-arrested-tuesday-as-new-york-law-enforcement-prepares-for-possible-indictment/

1. “Trump news – live: Donald Trump says he’ll be arrested on Tuesday in furious Truth Social post” The Independent, 18 Mar. 2023, https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/trump-indicted-twitter-desantis-stormy-daniels-b2303435.html