By JILL COLVIN, MICHAEL R. SISAK, TERRY SPENCER and WILL WEISSERT (Associated Press)
NEW YORK (AP) — Former President Donald Trump returned to New York from his Florida property Monday for his historic reserving and arraignment on hush cash expenses associated to allegations of sexual encounters. The nation’s largest metropolis bolstered safety and warned potential protesters it was “not a playground for your misplaced anger.”
Trump’s lengthy day began with a motorcade trip from his Mar-a-Lago membership to his crimson, white and blue Boeing 757, emblazoned along with his identify in gold letters — all carried reside on tv. The mini-parade took him previous supporters waving banners and cheering, decrying the case in opposition to him that stems from funds made throughout his 2016 marketing campaign — as politically motivated.
Trump is already months into a 3rd marketing campaign to reclaim the White House he misplaced to President Joe Biden in 2020, and he and his advisers appeared to relish the eye. Cable networks adopted his aircraft at airports in Florida and New York with video from the air, and a small group of senior marketing campaign aides have been joined aboard by his son, Eric Trump, who eagerly posted photographs of the wall-to-wall protection from his seat.
The scene was fairly completely different in New York, the place Trump shall be arraigned on Tuesday — going through a choose within the metropolis the place he constructed a nationwide profile in enterprise and leisure however grew to become deeply unpopular as he moved into politics. Prosecutors say their case in opposition to him has nothing to do with politics and have defended the work of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg who’s main it. City leaders urged calm.
“While there may be some rabble rousers thinking about coming to our city tomorrow, our message is clear and simple: Control yourselves,” mentioned New York Mayor Eric Adams. “New York City is our home. … We are the safest large city in America because we respect the rule of law.”
Trump stepped off his jet alone and straight right into a ready black SUV, with nobody greeting him. Only small, sparse teams of supporters lined the route as his motorcade used a police escort to whisk him into Manhattan.
From the air, the procession conjured photographs of a present president on the transfer moderately than a former one going through legal expenses. But there was nobody to nice him as he arrived at Trump Tower, the road having been cleared. He gave a short wave anyway.
Advisers mentioned Trump spent the flight working. He was to satisfy along with his attorneys, then spend the night time at Trump Tower earlier than surrendering to authorities for reserving and the arraignment.
It was the opening of unprecedented chapter in American historical past, with Trump the primary former president to face legal expenses. But he’s betting it may truly increase his probabilities at profitable the presidency once more subsequent yr. In the meantime, the case is inflicting main authorized, political and cultural occasions to collide in unprecedented methods.
Trump’s group says the media circus may work to his political benefit. Trump senior adviser Jason Miller mentioned the marketing campaign had raised $7 million since phrase of the indictment broke, however official figures haven’t but been launched.
One Trump fundraising e mail Monday carried the topic line, “Tomorrow, I will be arrested.”
After initially being caught off guard by information of the indictment final Thursday night, advisors at the moment are working to see if the case in opposition to him helps his 2024 marketing campaign. That thought clashed with the previous president’s personal attorneys, nonetheless, who requested the choose in a Monday submitting to ban photograph and video protection of his arraignment, which is anticipated Tuesday afternoon.
The former president additionally bolstered his authorized group Monday, including a 3rd high-profile lawyer, Todd Blanche, in line with three individuals acquainted with the matter. Blanche, a former federal prosecutor, has beforehand represented Trump’s former marketing campaign chairman Paul Manafort. The individuals wouldn’t publicly focus on particulars of the authorized group’s plan and due to this fact spoke to The Associated Press on situation of anonymity.
Trump Tower was open Monday and, although safety was tight. There have been few supporters for Trump or individuals protesting in opposition to him close by, with a small group hanging “Trump 2024” banners.
Officials haven’t seen an inflow of individuals coming into town, as was the case in Washington within the days earlier than a mob of Trump supporters overran the U.S. Capitol in January 2021. Still, they warned that possessing a weapon in sure areas of town, together with close to courthouses, is a criminal offense.
One of Trump’s staunchest defenders in Congress, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, was serving to to prepare a Tuesday morning rally at a park throughout from the courthouse the place Trump will seem, and Mayor Adams took the weird step of calling her out by identify.
“Although we have no specific threats, people like Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is known to spread misinformation and hate speech, she’s stated she’s coming to town,” Adams mentioned. “While you’re in town, be on your best behavior.”
Authorities even have taken steps to shut and safe the courthouse ground the place Trump is to seem earlier than a choose as a part of his arraignment.
Trump is going through a number of expenses of falsifying enterprise information, together with not less than one felony offense, within the indictment handed down by a Manhattan grand jury final week. The investigation is scrutinizing six-figure funds made to porn actor Stormy Daniels and former Playboy mannequin Karen McDougal.
Both say that they had sexual encounters with the married Trump years earlier than he acquired into politics. Trump denies having sexual liaisons with both lady and has denied any wrongdoing involving funds.
Arriving in Minnesota the place he was touring a manufacturing unit to advertise his administration’s financial insurance policies, Biden was requested if he thought there can be unrest in New York.
“No, I have faith in the New York Police Department,” the president replied. He additionally mentioned he had religion within the nation’s authorized system.
Florida Trump supporters started gathering whereas the solar was nonetheless rising at a West Palm Beach purchasing heart on the way in which to the airport, hours earlier than the previous president was set to move alongside the route.
Boca Raton firefighter Erik Solensten and his retired colleague, John Fischer, put up banners. One was 30 by 6 ft (9 by 2 meters), picturing cops and firefighters saying, “Thanks for having our backs, President Trump.”
“We are fire-rescue. We are prepared and don’t like to wait for things to happen,” mentioned Solensten, who took a trip day to indicate assist for Trump. “He needs morale just like everyone else needs morale. He’s done more for this country than any 10 presidents combined.”
Top Republicans, together with a few of Trump’s potential rivals in subsequent yr’s GOP presidential major, have decried the case in opposition to him. Biden, who has but to formally announce that he’s looking for reelection subsequent yr, and different main Democrats have largely had little to say about it, together with on Monday.
Trump’s former U.N. Ambassador, Nikki Haley, was campaigning close to the U.S.-Mexico border and urged that protection of the previous president’s indictment was distracting from different key points reminiscent of immigration. But she additionally mentioned, “You’ve got a liberal prosecutor that’s doing political revenge against a former president.”
“We’re dealing with a lot of political drama that’s unnecessary because you’ve got political, vengeful people out there,” Haley advised Fox News Channel.
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Weissert reported from Washington, Spencer from West Palm Beach, Fla. Associated Press writers Bobby Caina Calvan, David Bauder and Julie Walker in New York and Eric Tucker in Washington contributed to this report.
Source: www.bostonherald.com”