In what can only be described as a pleasant weekend surprise, former President Donald Trump insists he will be arrested next Tuesday. The statement by Trump, posted on Truth Social, comes as media reports have speculated about the former president’s indictment. While it remains unclear whether or not Trump’s pronouncements hold water, the fact that a former President is publicly talking about their arrest is historic.
The supposed charges, which are tied to Trump’s alleged hush payments to porn star Stormy Daniels, would be a stunning display of historic legal power, especially since the payments in question occurred just before the 2016 election.
As The Washington Post noted:
The case involves a $130,000 payment that Michael Cohen, a former Trump attorney, made to Daniels, an adult-film actress, before the 2016 presidential election, and whether it was made to keep her quiet about allegations that she and Trump had an affair, which he has denied.
Meanwhile, Trump’s team has begun fundraising on the prospect of his arrest, after the FBI raid of his Mar-a-Lago home last year drove to his best fundraising days since leaving the White House, as The Washington Post has reported.
The political war that Trump is seemingly trying to wage has been described as “echoing January 6th,” Its appeal to resist lawful authority and limitations on Trump’s conduct has shown similar themes and actions underlying it.
It is unclear when Trump will be indicted or even arrested. While prosecutors have been allegedly planning an indictment for next week, they have not stated an exact date, making Trump’s claim of an imminent arrest on Tuesday all the more curious.
Additionally, some activists who previously supported Trump in the January 6th uprising have seemingly backed off. In a Twitter post, Ali Alexander, who helped organize the “Stop The Steal” movement in 2021, stated:
“If you protest in New York City, you will be in the single most hostile jurisdiction in the United States. There is no law and order. You have no liberty or rights there. You will be jailed or worse.”
In other posts on Telegram, Alexander also claimed that he was “retired,” suggesting that he would not support any protest to free Trump from custody. If only, perhaps, to save himself.
While Trump may attempt to portray himself as a victim, and he may even gain the nomination for the Republican Party, the rule of law must prevail. Despite years of fending off investigations, Trump is not invincible and must be treated that way. Justice must rule, not a cult of personality.