Trump: I will be arrested on Tuesday and call on my supporters to protest

The Former US president and 2024 presidential candidate Donald Trump said he expects to be arrested next Tuesday in connection with an investigation in New York into alleged bribery of a porn actress and called on his supporters to protest.

Trump posted on social media, referring to himself, that “the main Republican candidate and former President of the United States will be arrested on Tuesday of next week”.

“Protest, take back our nation!” Trump wrote on Truth Social, the conservative alternative to twitter that Trump supports.

The Manhattan District Attorney is investigating Trump, but has not yet announced charges against him.

If charged, Trump will become the first former US president to be charged.

US media reports, citing sources close to law enforcement, indicate that an indictment will be issued in the coming days.

Trump faces a spiral of legal troubles.

It’s noteworthy that offering a bribe in exchange for silence is not illegal in the United States, but prosecutors may argue that paying $130,000 to porn actress Stormy Daniels is an illegal contribution to the election campaign, as her silence benefited his candidacy for the highest position in the country.

It wasn’t clear though how Trump’s possible conviction would affect his campaign for a new four-year term.

Trump, 76, has made it clear that he doesn’t intend to withdraw his candidacy, even if he is convicted.

Months, or in some cases years, may pass before an accusation is issued nor does the conviction legally prevent Trump from running in the 2024 presidential election.

However, it remains to be seen whether the Republican base will be willing to support a candidate convicted of making suspicious sums of money to the porn actress.