When Donald Trump steps into a New York courtroom to argue before a judge next week, it will not only be the first time a former US president has faced criminal charges. It would represent a reckoning for a man nicknamed the “Teflon Don” for a long time, who has so far managed to avoid serious legal trouble despite 40 years of legal scrutiny.
Trump, the early frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination, is expected to turn himself in on Tuesday. He faces other charges, including at least one felony related to surreptitious payments of money to women during his 2016 campaign. Like any other person facing trial, he will be booked, fingerprinted and photographed before being given a chance to enter a plea.
The spectacle that is sure to unfold will mark an unprecedented moment in American history that will once again dramatically demonstrate that Trump – who has already held the distinction of being the first president to be impeached twice – has flouted democratic norms. maintained. But on a personal level, the indictment pierces the cloak of invincibility that followed Trump during his decades in business and politics, as he faced allegations of fraud, collusion and sexual misconduct.
Trump biographer Michael D’Antonio said of the indictment, “Boy, after all this time it’s going to be a little shocking.” “You know I always thought of him as the Gingerbread Man, yelling, ‘You can’t catch me!’ when he ran.”
“Given his track record,” he said, “I have trouble imagining that he will ever be held accountable.”
“These are not things that Donald Trump ever imagined in his entire life, nor would I, for that matter, that he would ever be faced with,” said Michael Cohen, Trump’s longtime fixer and one of the leaders in the matter. Key witnesses who served jail time. Pay, told CNN.
Of course, some of the celebration by Trump’s opponents may be premature. The former president can ask a judge to quickly dismiss the case. And even if it does go ahead, there is no guarantee of punishment. The intense scrutiny in Atlanta and Washington is seen as potentially more serious legal threats.
Still, Trump and his team were caught by surprise when word of the New York indictment broke Thursday evening, following news reports that the grand jury hearing the case was set for a one-week hiatus. As the deliberations dragged on, some in Trump’s orbit were convinced that the case was deadlocked and that charges might never be filed. This included Trump’s lawyer Joe Tacopina, who said Friday morning that he hoped “the rule of law would prevail.”
Trump, he said on the “Today” show, was “initially shocked” by news of the allegations, but quickly reverted to his usual pushback playbook.
“After he got over that,” he said, Trump “put a notch on his belt and he decided we have to fight now. And he got into a typical Donald Trump pose, where he’s getting belligerent over something that ready to stand up for what he perceives to be an injustice. … I think he’s in a position now that he’s ready to fight it.
Meanwhile, Trump and his team try to use the news to their advantage, hoping to energize their loyal base by portraying the investigation as part of a larger conspiracy to derail their candidacy .
Already, the allegations have been a boon to his struggling fundraising. The campaign announced Friday evening that it had raised more than $4 million in the 24 hours after the indictment became public, breaking its previous record following the FBI search of Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club.
According to the campaign, more than 25% of donations came from first-time donors. Average contribution: $34.
His campaign also continued to dish out supportive statements from dozens of top Republicans who rallied behind Trump, including many of his declared and potential challengers, underscoring his continued grip on the party. Trump has been in contact by phone with key congressional aides, including House leadership and members of top committees, who, like others, spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the response, according to people familiar with the conversations. .
Trump aide Rep. Jim Banks, R-Ind., who formally endorsed the former president on Friday, said Trump was “not backing down” and was going to “fight back,” telling a local radio show It was “yet another chapter where Donald Trump is finally going to be back on top.
The media whirlwind has thrust the former president back into the spotlight, at least temporarily turning the attention to his rivals, including Florida Gov. County to promote his book.
Trump aides are discussing other ideas to maximize the situation, including the possibility of holding a press event before or after the impeachment. Trump is expected to travel from Florida to New York on Monday and stay overnight at Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan before heading to the courthouse early Tuesday. He will return to Florida after the arraignment.
Trump has long denied that he had a sexual relationship with the porn star known as Stormy Daniels and criticized Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg for pursuing the years-old case.
Trump also faces continued scrutiny over his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election in Georgia and in Washington, where a special counsel is probing the events of January 6, 2021, as well as Trump’s release of classified documents in March. Even to handle. -a-Lago and the potential obstruction of the investigation.
But Sam Nunberg, a longtime former ally who broke with Trump years ago, said that while he no longer supports Trump, he believes the Manhattan case is a “waste of time.” In view of the allegations, which are under seal. And he said he doubts it will ultimately matter.
Regarding the indictment, he said, “It doesn’t surprise me.” “What would surprise me is if he actually ended up behind bars in prison and I didn’t happen.”
D’Antonio said that sentiment among many people — and a continued belief that Trump will somehow prevail and dodge the charges — continues, despite the accusations over the past 24 hours.
“They’re like, he’s going to get away with it,” he said. “Somehow, he’s going to stick it out.”