Following his historic indictment on criminal charges, Donald Trump was preparing on Friday to do something no former U.S. president has ever done: go to a prosecutor’s office to be booked, fingerprinted and have his mugshot taken. His pending arrest, expected on Tuesday, throws a political grenade into the 2024 presidential race, in which the 76‑year‑old real‑estate tycoon hopes to return to the White House.
A New York grand jury indicted Trump on Thursday over a $130,000 hush‑money payment made to adult‑film actress Stormy Daniels to buy her silence during the 2016 campaign. Trump has denied any wrongdoing and accused Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, of waging a “political witch‑hunt” to derail his bid for the White House. His lawyers said the former president, who is currently at his Mar‑a‑Lago residence in Florida, will surrender to New York authorities on Tuesday to face the sealed charges. Extra security has been deployed for days around the downtown Manhattan courthouse where Trump is expected to be booked and arraigned before a judge.
Joe Tacopina, one of Trump’s attorneys, told NBC’s “Today” show that the former president will not be handcuffed, though “they’ll try to make sure they get some joy out of this by parading him.” Trump plans to plead not guilty and says there is “zero” chance he will accept a plea deal. “It’s not going to happen. There’s no crime,” Tacopina added. Although Trump was initially “shocked” by the indictment, his attorney said he is now “ready to fight this.”
Trump reacted on his Truth Social platform, calling the charge “Fake, Corrupt, and Disgraceful” and claiming he cannot get a fair trial in New York because he stands with the American people. He warned that the indictment could lead to “potential death and destruction” for the country and urged protests.
The former president survived two impeachments while in office and avoided prosecution over issues ranging from the Capitol riot to missing classified files. Yet he now faces a court case stemming from the Stormy Daniels scandal. Top Republicans have rallied around him, keeping him the favorite to win the party’s 2024 nomination despite ongoing legal challenges, including felony investigations in Georgia over the 2020 election and in Washington over classified documents and the January 6 attack. House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy said the indictment had “irreparably damaged” the country. Former Vice President Mike Pence called it an “outrage” that would further divide the United States, and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, another potential 2024 rival, slammed the indictment as “un‑American.”
Democrats also weighed in. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said “no one is above the law,” and Representative Adam Schiff, who led Trump’s first impeachment in 2019, called the indictment “sobering.” “The indictment and arrest of a former president is unique throughout all of American history,” Schiff said, “but so too is the unlawful conduct for which Trump has been charged.”
Trump’s former lawyer Michael Cohen testified in 2019 that he made the payment to Daniels on Trump’s behalf to conceal a 2006 affair and was later reimbursed. The grand jury considered whether the payment constituted a cover‑up intended to benefit Trump’s campaign. The impact of the hush‑money indictment on Trump’s 2024 prospects is uncertain. Detractors worry that an acquittal could complicate future prosecutions related to more serious matters, such as attempts to overturn Georgia’s election results or the January 6 riot. Conversely, the Manhattan charges may energize Trump’s loyal base, potentially boosting his chances in the Republican primary.
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