The New York City prepared ahead of Donald Trump’s indictment likely today over an alleged hush-money payment to pornstar Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign. According to a Reuters report, barricades were being erected around a Manhattan courthouse on Monday as Trump urged followers on social media to protest what he said was his looming arrest.
It would be the first-ever criminal case against any US President.
His call for protest raised concerns for law enforcement that his supporters might engage in violence similar to the January 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol in Washington.
However, fearing a trap, many far-right grassroots groups have chosen not to heed his call, said security analysts, as per the report.
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A grand jury, which heard further testimony on Monday, could bring charges as soon as this week. Trump, who is seeking the Republican nomination for the White House again in 2024, had predicted he would be arrested on Tuesday.
On Monday, the grand jury heard from a witness, lawyer Robert Costello who said the hush-money payment was handled by Trump’s former fixer Micahel Cohen without Trump’s involvement.
"Michael Cohen decided on his own - that's what he told us - on his own, to see if he could take care of this," Costello told reporters after testifying to the grand jury at Trump's lawyers' request.
However, Cohen who testified twice before the grand jury has publicly said that Trump directed him to make the payments on Trump’s behalf.
The indictment could be a setback for Trump’s comeback attempt as around 44 per cent of Republicans say he should back out of the presidential race if indicted, as per a seven-day Reuters/Ipsos poll.