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Trump news - live: Grand jury cancels Stormy Daniels hush money hearing as poll shows public against Trump

Trump news - live: Grand jury cancels Stormy Daniels hush money hearing as poll shows public against Trump

The Manhattan grand jury investigating Donald Trump’s role in hush money payments to Stormy Daniels days before the 2016 presidential election did not meet on Wednesday.

This delays any decision as to whether Mr Trump will become the first-ever president to be indicted on criminal charges.

It was believed that the panel was expected to hear from at least one more witness before it votes on whether to indict the former president. Should he be indicted, Mr Trump would be expected to appear for an arraignment sometime next week.

Perhaps in an effort to distract himself, Mr Trump has taken aim at Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, teasing him about his expected 2024 run.

In further legal woes, a three-judge panel has denied the former president’s request to block one of his attorneys from turning over documents to a grand jury looking into whether he broke the law by retaining classified papers at Mar-a-Lago and whether he obstructed the investigation into his alleged retention those items.

Key Points

  • Grand jury cancels Wednesday hearing on Trump

  • Trump attorney’s 2018 communications with Stormy Daniels handed over to Manhattan DA

  • Trump wants to be handcuffed and turn everything into a ‘spectacle’

  • Trump posts late-night Truth Social video attacking four criminal probes

  • Surge in online threats as police prepare for possible Trump indictment

  • Trump teases DeSantis: 'Run Ron, Run!’

A New York neighbourhood finds itself in the spotlight

22:00 , Oliver O'Connell

As the world waits to see whether a grand jury in lower Manhattan indicts former President Donald Trump, neighborhood resident Barbara Malmet decided to give up her front-row seat.

While police erected barricades around the courthouse where any criminal case would be brought, the retired New York University professor packed a bag and prepared to leave town.

Malmet, 70, lives a few blocks from the city’s civic center and said she is concerned about “a smaller repeat of Jan. 6” if Trump incites “his cult followers into violence.” She wants ”a little more peace of mind not being within walking distance of the courthouse.”

Read on:

NYC neighborhood carries on during wait for Trump grand jury

Full Story: Appeals court upholds forcing Trump lawyer to give evidence in classified documents case

21:30 , Oliver O'Connell

A three-judge panel of the District Columbia Circuit Court of Appeals has denied former President Trump’s request to block one of his attorneys from turning over documents to a grand jury looking into whether he broke the law by retaining classified documents at his Florida residence and whether he obstructed the investigation into his alleged retention of the documents.

Andrew Feinberg has the details.

Appeals court upholds forcing Trump lawyer to give evidence in classified docs case

Voices: Washington’s cowardice on Trump is about to come crashing down

21:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Eric Garcia writes:

Washington is fixated this week not on the US Capitol, or President Biden farther down on Pennsylvania Avenue, but on the island of Manhattan, where a grand jury appears poised to indict former President Donald Trump over a hush money payment to a porn star.

Trump himself ignited the latest firestorm when he sent out a furious message over the weekend predicting his imminent arrest in Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s investigation into the former president.

It is somewhat fitting that Bragg – who came into office last year and immediately faced criticism assuming that he would not go after the former president – now has the attention of Washington because, if he does indeed indict Mr Trump, he will have done what few in Washington could muster: actually hold Donald Trump accountable.

Read on...

How Washington’s cowardice on Trump is about to come crashing down

Senator Scott teases 2024 ‘political update’ in mid-April

21:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Republican Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina is inching ever closer to a presidential bid in 2024, scheduling his latest swing through early-voting states before returning home afterward to give donors a “political update.”

Sen. Scott poised to give 2024 'political update' to donors

Trump classified documents defence attorney to testify on Friday, reports say

20:50 , Oliver O'Connell

CNN’s Kaitlan Collins reports that Donald Trump’s defence attorney Evan Corcoran is scheduled to testify on Friday before the grand jury relating to the classified documents found at Mar-a-Lago unless the Trump team launches another appeal.

She adds that she has been told they are unlikely to do so.

Collins’ reporting is confirmed by Robert Costa at CBS.

Judge who would hear case against Trump is pretty familiar with the former president and his business

20:45 , Oliver O'Connell

If a Manhattan grand jury indicts former president Donald Trump for allegedly falsifying business records, the judge set to hear the case will already be plenty familiar with the ex-president’s eponymous real estate, hotel and brand licensing operation.

Andrew Feinberg explains.

Judge who would hear case against Trump presided over Trump Organization trial

Piers Morgan attacked by Trump over DeSantis interview

20:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump has branded Piers Morgan a “ratings-challenged TV host” ahead of his interview with Ron DeSantis.

The former Good Morning Britain host sat down with politician DeSantis, who will likely be Trump’s rival for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, on his TalkTV and Fox Nation show Piers Morgan Uncensored.

Isobel Lewis reports.

Piers Morgan attacked by Donald Trump over Ron DeSantis interview

DeSantis earns a ‘dismissive’ new nickname thanks to a Trump email typo

20:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Former President Donald Trump sent out a press release referring to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, his top 2024 rival, as “Rob”.

Poor Rob.

Ron DeSantis earns a ‘dismissive’ new nickname thanks to a Trump email typo

How Michael Cohen’s efforts to help Trump could land his ex-boss in jail

20:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Former attorney Michael Cohen was once Donald Trump’s top operative: a “fixer” who handled matters both legal and otherwise for the celebrity businessman-turned-political candidate.

But as Alvin Bragg’s grand jury investigation concludes in Manhattan this week, it’s clear that Cohen’s efforts to “fix” problems for his boss may have caused far more harm than good.

John Bowden reports.

The ‘fixer’: Michael Cohen’s plan to aid Donald Trump could land his ex-boss in jail

Judge who would hear case against Trump presided over Weisselberg real estate trial

19:40 , Oliver O'Connell

If a Manhattan grand jury indicts former president Donald Trump for allegedly falsifying business records, the judge set to hear the case will already be plenty familiar with the ex-president’s eponymous real estate, hotel and brand licensing operation.

Andrew Feinberg reports.

Judge who would hear case against Trump presided over Trump Organization trial

Judge rejects Trump team appeal to stop handover of Evan Corcoran notes on Mar-a-Lago papers

19:37 , Oliver O'Connell

An appeals court has denied an effort by the Trump legal team to block Judge Beryl Howell’s order to turn over documents to special counsel Jack Smith’s team relating to conversations between Donald Trump and his lawyer Even Corcoran regarding the Mar-a-Lago classified documents.

DeSantis: I would have fired Dr Fauci

19:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has criticised former President Donald Trump for his pandemic leadership, saying that he would have fired Dr Anthony Fauci, the former chief medical adviser to the president and director of the National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases.

Gustaf Kilander has the story.

DeSantis says he would have fired Dr Fauci in dig at Trump

Trump teases DeSantis: 'Run Ron, Run!’

19:05 , Oliver O'Connell

With no news likely from the Stormy Daniels hush money grand jury today, Donald Trump is focused on targeting Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, his closest rival so far for the Republican nomination in 2024.

“Ron DeSanctimonious is running—without running! He’s doing this to subvert Election Law. Run Ron, Run!” the former president teased, with a nod to the 1994 movie Forrest Gump.

“Others have done it before, though, so I can’t really blame him—But he should take a look at his Polls, which are crashing like few people have seen before. That’s because he’s merely an average REPUBLICAN Governor who has great Public Relations, far better than deserved. When you look at the Florida #’s compared to other States, you will not be impressed—I will release them later in the day!”

Tucker Carlson begs Biden to stop Trump indictment

18:50 , Oliver O'Connell

Fox News host Tucker Carlson has called on the Biden administration to stop the potential indictment of Donald Trump, warning that “America will never be the same” if it does not.

Last week, Mr Trump led much of the country to believe the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office would indict him within the week. He initially predicted the arrest would occur on Tuesday, though the day came and went without any such outcome. The grand jury’s meeting on Wednesday was called off, likely delaying any indictment.

Graig Graziosi reports.

Tucker Carlson begs Biden to stop Trump indictment

The internet has one burning question from Ron DeSantis’ interview with Piers Morgan

18:25 , Oliver O'Connell

Following Piers Morgan’s interview with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Twitter users have been left wondering how tall the governor actually is.

Gustaf Kilander has the story.

Ron DeSantis’ interview with Piers Morgan has left people wondering about his height

Voices: As a Trump indictment looms, Fox News mounts a full-throated defence of the former president

18:01 , Oliver O'Connell

Richard Hall writes:

Donald Trump may soon have a chance to defend himself in a court of law against the allegations that he used campaign funds to pay hush money to a porn star. In the meantime, the most-watched cable news network in the country appears to have taken up the case pro-bono.

As other news channels trained their cameras on the Manhattan court where Mr Trump was expected to be arraigned, Fox News spent much of the past few days attacking the prosecutor who brought the case against him and playing down the allegations.

Read on:

As a Trump indictment looms, Fox News mounts a full-throated defence

Senate Republican demur when asked about possible Trump indictment

17:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Eric Garcia writes:

Few Republicans have criticised former president Donald Trump more than Senator Mitt Romney. The 2012 Republican nominee for president and current Utah Senator voted to convict Mr Trump in his impeachment trial in 2020 and his impeachment after the January 6 riot in 2021.

But when your dispatcher caught him in the Senate basement on Tuesday evening ahead of votes, he had little to say about the potential indictment of Mr Trump by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

“You know, I’ll have something for you if and when that occurs, but it hasn’t and so I got nothing,” he told The Independent.

Read on:

Senate Republicans don’t want to talk about Trump’s indictment

Manhattan DA will ‘move if and when ready, not a moment before'

17:24 , Oliver O'Connell

Noah Bookbinder, president of Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, has given his take on the apparent delay to the decision as to whether to indict former president Donald Trump.

He tweeted: “I’m a little confused by all the speculation about why the Manhattan DA’s indictment is delayed. He never said he would indict today, or at all, so there is no delay. For such a high-profile case, they’ll want to get it right. They’ll move if and when ready, not a moment before.”

Watch: Law & Order was being filmed outside Trump grand jury court

17:18 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump hits out at DeSantis and ‘ratings challenged TV host from England'

17:11 , Oliver O'Connell

In response to Piers Morgan’s interview with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former president Donald Trump chose to hit out at both of them on Truth Social.

He posted:

While I am fighting against Radical Left Lunatics, Persecutors, and unfair Prosecutors who want to destroy us all, Ron DeSanctimonious is not working for the people of Florida as he should be, he is too busy chatting with a Ratings Challenged TV Host from England, desperately trying to rescue his failing Campaign—But it’s my fault, I put him there!

A rare moment in which Mr Trump takes the blame for something.

Ahead of possible indictment, Trump relishes idea of a perp walk

17:05 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump is reportedly relishing the idea of a perp walk as he prepares for a potential indictment.

The former president has reportedly told friends and associates at Mar-a-Lago that he welcomes the idea of doing a perp walk in front of supporters and photographers if Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg does indeed indict him, according to The New York Times.

Eric Garcia has the story.

Trump relishes idea of a perp walk as ex-president prepares for indictment

Donald J Trump is in the witness box

17:01 , Oliver O'Connell

Meanwhile, a service dog named Donald J Trump is in the witness box at the Proud Boys trial.

There is no confirmation yet as to whether he is a good boy, but I’m sure he will be asked.

Trump reportedly raises more than $1.5m since ‘arrest’ post on Saturday

16:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump’s robust fundraising campaign has reportedly collected more than $1.5m since he announced his impending “arrest” on 18 March.

His early-morning announcement on Truth Social, which reportedly surprised some advisers at his Mar-a-Lago compound in Florida, fuelled a media frenzy in the days that followed.

As The Independent previously reported, political action committees associated with the former president seized on headlines and responses to his claims with several messages to supporters to contribute to his 2024 presidential campaign.

Alex Woodward has the latest.

Donald Trump reportedly raised $1.5m since he announced his ‘arrest’

Trump lashes out at ‘hellhole’ Manhattan after supporters fail to turn up to protest

16:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump has lashed out at the “hellhole” of Manhattan after his supporters failed to turn up to protest his impending indictment in his native city.

The former president took to his Truth Social platform on Wednesday morning for his latest rant about Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office investigation into his role in hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels days before the 2016 presidential election.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Trump lashes out at ‘hellhole’ Manhattan after protesters fail to show in city

Watch: NBC News says grand jury on standby for tomorrow

16:17 , Oliver O'Connell

UPDATE: Trump indictment delayed as grand jury’s Wednesday meeting unexpectedly canceled

16:12 , Oliver O'Connell

A grand jury convened for a New York investigation into Donald Trump’s so-called hush money payment to an adult film star during his 2016 presidential campaign may not be meeting at all this week, after the former president predicted his looming indictment and arrest in connection with the case.

Alex Woodward has the latest.

Trump indictment delayed as grand jury’s Wednesday meeting unexpectedly canceled

16:08 , Oliver O'Connell

Maggie Haberman of The New York Times confirms reporting that the grand jury will not meet this afternoon. There will be no indictment vote today.

New York grand jury cancels Wednesday Trump hearing, report says

15:56 , Oliver O'Connell

The Manhattan grand jury weighing whether to indict former President Donald Trump over a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels will not meet on Wednesday, according to a new report.

Insider reported that the grand jury – which typically meets Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays – would not meet on Wednesday. Multiple reports indicated an indictment against Mr Trump could drop as soon as Wednesday, but the cancellation calls into question that timeline.

This is a developing story.

Grand jury cancels Wednesday hearing on Trump, report says

ICYMI: What’s happening with the Fulton County grand jury in Georgia?

15:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Andrew Feinberg reports on the Trump team’s efforts to have the Georgia grand jury probe into election interference tossed out.

Trump asks court to toss entire Georgia grand jury probe

Live update from outside the New York courthouse

15:31 , Oliver O'Connell

The Independent’s Richard Hall reports from downtown Manhattan:

Throngs of reporters are currently gathered outside of the Manhattan district attorney’s office awaiting news of a possible indictment for Donald Trump.

A Grand Jury investigating the alleged payment of so-called “hush money” to an adult film actress during Mr Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign is due to meet today, and the former president has said he expects charges to be announced imminently.

A smattering of protesters came to the court on Tuesday — the day Mr Trump said he believed the charges would be filed. Today, their number appears to have dropped to only a few.

Two people quietly held a large sign reading “Trump lies”. Another man held a sign with the words: “Google it. George Soros funds DA Bragg.”

Across the street, a man stood quietly in front of an easel painting the scene.

Watch: Scenes outside a New York courthouse and Trump’s Florida home

15:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump attorney’s 2018 communications with Stormy Daniels handed over to Manhattan DA

15:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Communications between Donald Trump’s attorney and Stormy Daniels have been handed over to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office – as the office prepares to potentially indict the former president on criminal charges.

Ms Daniels’ attorney Clark Brewster told CNN that the records between the adult film star and Mr Trump’s personal attorney Joe Tacopina date back to when she was seeking legal representation in 2018.

Mr Brewster said that the messages reveal that Ms Daniels had disclosed confidential information to Mr Tacopina about her situation involving the former president.

Rachel Sharp reports.

Trump attorney’s 2018 communications with Stormy Daniels handed over to Manhattan DA

How the Trump 2024 campaign is adapting to the 'new normal’

14:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The Washington Post has published an in-depth look at how Donald Trump’s 2024 campaign is adapting to what it calls the “new normal” of a former president running for office again, likely under indictment.

Campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung is quoted as saying about the ongoing multiple legal battles: “This is the new normal. The president has been battle-tested … This operation has been fine-tuned since 2016. Dealing with these types of news cycles, you learn to get good at it. We have a full-spectrum response operation on the campaign that can deal with anything that comes our way.”

There are of course concerns about what might happen next:

Criminal charges could add to concerns about Trump’s electability that have developed even among his loyal fans, and they could hinder his efforts to secure major donors and endorsements. And as much as Trump likes playing the victim and has privately vowed to look tough and fight the charges, some advisers said he does not actually want to be seen in handcuffs or in a mug shot.

The paper quotes former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie as saying: “Being indicted I don’t think ever helps anybody.”

While we may not know exactly why the former president suddenly tweeted on Saturday morning that he was going to be arrested on Tuesday, the Post does note it accomplished at least two things:

Trump’s Saturday morning post to his Truth Social website predicting that he would be arrested Tuesday and calling for supporters to protest, woke up many of his advisers, who were staying around Palm Beach and were suddenly flooded with calls from reporters and others. But it accomplished one thing Trump cared about: pushing Republicans to defend him. Trump had complained in recent days that no one was going on TV to defend him.

Further:

Advisers are moving to capitalize on coverage in conservative media outlets, raising over $1.5 million since Saturday, a person familiar with the matter said.

Stormy Daniels says she will ‘dance down the street’ when ‘tiny’ Trump is indicted

14:30 , Oliver O'Connell

The adult film star at the centre of Donald Trump’s looming criminal indictment has said she will “dance down the street” when “tiny” Donald Trump is indicted over hush money payments to silence her about an alleged affair.

Stormy Daniels took to Twitter on Tuesday to share a series of posts mocking the former president over his potentially looming – and historic – criminal indictment in Manhattan.

Joe Sommerlad has the story.

Stormy Daniels says she will ‘dance down the street’ when ‘tiny’ Trump is indicted

Trump pushes New York Times legal review of case

14:27 , Oliver O'Connell

In a further Truth Social post, the former president pushed a paragraph from a New York Times article reviewing the legal intricacies of the case against him.

The New York Times: “A New York Times review and interviews with election law experts strongly suggest that New York state prosecutors have never before filed an election law case involving a federal campaign. Bringing an untested case against anyone, let alone a former president of the United States, carries the risk that a court could throw out or narrow the case.”

For context, you can read the full piece here: The Legal Intricacies That Could Make or Break the Case Against Trump.

Trump continues to claim innocence and attacks ‘rogue prosecutor’ over ‘violent crime’ destroying New York

14:12 , Oliver O'Connell

Former president Donald Trump is up and “truthing” this morning, first declaring his innocence:

Every article I read, every show I watch, even the so-called Haters say that “President Trump did nothing wrong, there IS NO CRIME HERE!” As Biden would say, “No, I mean it, I’m not kidding.” The Crime would be if I get charged!!!

He again attacked “rogue prosecutor” Alvin Bragg for building a case against him rather than fighting violent crime, which he claims is destroying New York.

The Rogue prosecutor, who is having a hard time with the Grand Jury, especially after the powerful testimony against him by Felon Cohen’s highly respected former lawyer, is attempting to build a case that has NEVER BEEN BROUGHT BEFORE AND ACTUALLY, CAN’T BE BROUGHT. If he spent this time, effort, and money on fighting VIOLENT CRIME, which is destroying NYC, our once beautiful and safe Manhattan, which has become an absolute HELLHOLE, would be a much better place to live!

As a resident of Manhattan for 13 years, I dispute this characterisation.

Trump’s ‘billion-dollar lawyer’ left sputtering when asked if ex-president lost Georgia in 2020

14:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump’s so-called “billion-dollar lawyer” was left sputtering and stumbling during a television interview after being asked if his client was the victor in Georgia’s 2020 presidential election.

Drew Findling, the famed Georgia defence attorney Mr Trump retained to represent him in a potential criminal case that could be brought against him by Fulton County District attorney Fani Willis, appeared on MSNBC on Tuesday night - as the former president faces a potential indictment in another case in New York.

MSNBC anchor Ari Melber appeared stunned by Mr Findling’s desire not to “start getting into political statements” considering the politically charged nature of the case that could be filed against his client, who in late 2020 and early 2021 was caught on tape trying to pressure Georgia officials to overturn his loss to Joe Biden in the state.

“This is about the case,” said Mr Melber, who called the question of 2020 election results “an easy one” before asking Mr Findling again whether Mr Trump was the victor in the last Georgia presidential contest.

Read the full story here:

Trump’s ‘billion-dollar lawyer’ left sputtering on 2020 election results

More than two-thirds of Americans say hush money allegations are believable

13:38 , Oliver O'Connell

About half of Americans believe a New York investigation into whether Donald Trump paid hush money to a porn star is politically motivated, but a large majority find the allegations believable, a Reuters/Ipsos opinion poll found.

The two-day poll, which concluded on Tuesday, found 54 per cent of respondents — including 80 per cent of the former president’s fellow Republicans and 32 per cent of Democrats — said politics was driving the criminal case being weighed by a Manhattan grand jury.

Seventy percent of respondents, and half of Republicans, said it was believable that Trump during his 2016 presidential campaign paid the adult film actress Stormy Daniels for her silence about an alleged sexual encounter.

Some 62 per cent of respondents, including a third of Republicans, said it was also believable that Trump falsified business records and committed fraud.

The findings underscore the unprecedented nature of the criminal probes surrounding Trump as he seeks the Republican nomination to run for the White House again in 2024.

No US president has ever faced criminal charges in court.

Reuters

Why won’t Republican senators talk about the Trump indictment?

13:15 , Josh Marcus

Few Republicans have criticised former president Donald Trump more than Senator Mitt Romney. The 2012 Republican nominee for president and current Utah Senator voted to convict Mr Trump in his impeachment trial in 2020 and his impeachment after the January 6 riot in 2021.

But when your dispatcher caught him in the Senate basement on Tuesday evening ahead of votes, he had little to say about the potential indictment of Mr Trump by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

“You know, I’ll have something for you if and when that occurs, but it hasn’t and so I got nothing,” he told The Independent.

Read more from Eric Garcia.

Senate Republicans don’t want to talk about Trump’s indictment

Stormy Daniels ridicules Trump ahead of possible indictment

12:45 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Adult film actress Stormy Daniels mocked Donald Trump in a string of tweets as the former president is expecting rumoured criminal charges in a hush money probe regarding payments made to Ms Daniels and another woman during the course of the 2016 campaign.

“Anything exciting going on today?” Ms Daniels wrote on Twitter, a cheeky reference to the potential arrest of Mr Trump.

In another post yesterday, Ms Daniels mocked Mr Trump, calling him “tiny” and describing how, “I won’t walk, I’ll dance down the street when he is ‘selected’ to go to jail.”

Joe Sommerlad has more.

Stormy Daniels ridicules ‘Tiny’ Trump in tweets ahead of possible New York indictment

Trump attorney once called hush money payments ‘illegal'

12:30 , Rachel Sharp

Donald Trump’s attorney Joe Tacopina’s once called the hush money payments to Stormy Daniels “illegal”.

In a 2018 panel discussion on CNN – which resurfaced this week – Mr Tacopina said that the payments and alleged falsification of records about the money was an “illegal agreement” and “fraud”.

“I mean, you know, once that net is out, once the microscope is on you, everything is fair game,” he said.

“And it’s hard to argue, ‘oh, you can’t look at this or you can’t look at that’. So, yes, if there’s an issue with that payment to Stormy Daniels being that it was made on behalf of the candidate. Okay. And it was not declared. That’s fair game. Unfortunately, if that’s the case.”

He added: “And you know, quite frankly, you know, Michael Cohen, again has made statements that would give rise to suspicion.

“For any prosecutor to say that doesn’t make sense, that a lawyer took out a home equity loan with his own money, paid somebody that he didn’t even know on behalf of a client who, by the way, had the wherewithal and the money to afford $130,000.

“And, by the way, didn’t tell the client about the settlement agreement. It’s an illegal agreement. It’s a fraud, if that’s, in fact, the case. It doesn’t pass the straight-face test, and quite frankly, if that is what happened, we have a potential campaign finance issue,” he added.

When reached by The Independent for comment, Mr Tacopina emphasised that twice during his 2018 appearance he made the statement: “If that is in fact the case”

“I was opining on a hypothetical that was posed by the host without [knowing] any of the facts. That is [why] I qualified my statements. The facts as I have now learned clearly show, that is NOT in fact the case,” he said in an email.

“My mind hadn’t changed about the issue but what has changed is that I learned the facts.

“My response was based on a hypothetical question … which is why I qualified my response TWICE.”

How are the Trump faithful responding to his potential New York arrest?

12:15 , Josh Marcus

Former president Donald Trump’s demands that his supporters “protest, protest, protest” his potentially imminent indictment have prompted law enforcement officials to tighten security measures around New York City while monitoring potential threats.

Across far-right social media accounts and message boards reviewed by The Independent, the former president’s prediction of his own arrest was the evidence they needed to support long-running conspiracy theories that Democratic officials and President Joe Biden’s administration have weaponised the federal government against him.

But unlike the January 6 attack on the US Capitol, which was organised openly across social media platforms, discussion of protesting Mr Trump’s potential arrest has largely revolved around denouncing the Manhattan district attorney’s investigation and echoing the former president’s incendiary and dramatic rhetoric about the state of the US.

Alex Woodward reports.

Far-right supporters aren’t organizing Trump protests. Others think it’s a trap

Stormy Daniels says she will ‘dance down the street when he is “selected” to go to jail'

12:00 , Rachel Sharp

Stormy Daniels says she will “dance down the street” if or when Donald Trump is sent “to jail”.

“Sooo...tiny paid me to frame himself? You sound even dumber than he does during his illiterate ramblings. And I won’t walk, I’ll dance down the street when he is “selected” to go to jail,” she tweeted.

Trump attorney’s 2018 communications with Stormy Daniels handed over to Manhattan DA

11:45 , Rachel Sharp

Communications between Donald Trump’s attorney and Stormy Daniels have been handed over to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office – as the office prepares to potentially indict the former president on criminal charges.

Ms Daniels’ attorney Clark Brewster told CNN that the records between the adult film star and Mr Trump’s personal attorney Joe Tacopina date back to when she was seeking legal representation in 2018.

Mr Brewster said that the messages reveal that Ms Daniels had disclosed confidential information to Mr Tacopina about her situation involving the former president.

Neither The Independent nor CNN have seen the communications in question.

However, the revelation has raised questions as to whether the attorney could be sidelined from his defence of Mr Trump in the hush money case.

The Independent’s Rachel Sharp has the fyll story:

Trump attorney’s 2018 communications with Stormy Daniels handed over to Manhattan DA

Surge in online threats as police prepare for possible Trump indictment

11:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Violent threats and rhetoric have exploded online ahead of Donald Trump’s potential indictment in a New York hush money investigation, according to intelligence officials.

According to intelligence reports from the US Capitol Police in Washington, the federal DC Fusion Center and the Federal Highway Administration obtained by Rolling Stone, officials have been monitoring worrying online chatter, including one anonymous user who said the former president’s arrest would result in “Jan 6*10 + Guns.”

Josh Marcus has the details.

Online threats surge as law enforcement prepares for potential Trump indictment

Melania’s former adviser responds to claim she left Trump

11:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, the former adviser to Melania Trump in the early days of her time as first lady, has called out reporting that the revelations about Stormy Daniels in early 2018 caused a split between the Trumps.

Reporting by DailyMail.com says that when news broke of the hush money payments to the adult film start in early 2018, Ms Trump left her husband president Donald Trump, and spent nights away from the White House at a Washington, DC hotel.

Ms Winston Wolkoff tweeted in response to the article: “BS! How do I know? I was there!”

“Melania slept in her bedroom in the WH,” she continued. “I slept in my bedroom in the WH above her.”

Oliver O'Connell reports.

Melania adviser responds to claim she left Trump over Stormy Daniels

Trump attorney’s communications with Stormy Daniels handed over to Manhattan DA

11:00 , Rachel Sharp

Communications between Donald Trump’s attorney and Stormy Daniels have been handed over to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office – as the office prepares to potentially indict the former president on criminal charges.

Ms Daniels’ attorney Clark Brewster told CNN that the records between the adult film star and Mr Trump’s personal attorney Joe Tacopina date back to when she was seeking legal representation in 2018.

Mr Brewster said that the messages reveal that Ms Daniels had disclosed confidential information to Mr Tacopina about her situation involving the former president.

Neither The Independent nor CNN have seen the communications in question.

However, the revelation has raised questions as to whether the attorney could be sidelined from his defence of Mr Trump in the hush money case.

Back in 2018, Mr Tacopina appeared on CNN where he suggested he had been in communications with Ms Daniels about representing her in the hush money probe.

“I can’t really talk about my impressions or any conversations we’d had because there is an attorney-client privilege that attaches even to a consultation,” he said.

Mr Tacopina has denied there is any conflict in the case.

In a statement to the network on Tuesday, Mr Tacopina insisted that his 2018 interview “lacked clarity” but insisted that there “was no attorney-client relationship”.

How Trump is fundraising over his own ‘arrest’ prediction

10:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Former president Donald Trump fuelled a media firestorm with his all-caps prediction of his own arrest, a claim apparently based on reports of a looming indictment from a criminal investigation in New York. His own team followed up to clarify that he did not receive any indications from prosecutors that he had yet been charged or would be imminently arrested.

Alex Woodward explains how this was then parlayed into a moneyspinner for his 2024 campaign.

How Donald Trump is fundraising over his own ‘arrest’ prediction

Does Tucker Carlson hate or love Trump?

10:30 , Rachel Sharp

Fox News host Tucker Carlson has now walked back his text messages where he said he “hates” Donald Trump – now claiming that he “loves” the former president.

The right-wing commentator did a total backflip about his opinion on Mr Trump as he appeared on WABC Radio on Tuesday.

“Oh, let’s see. I spent four years defending his policies and I, I’m going to defend them again tonight,” he said.

“And actually, and I’m pretty straight forward, I’m um I love Trump. Like, as a person, I think Trump is funny and insightful.”

Mr Carlson’s sudden change of heart came after his text messages were released as part of the $1.6bn defamation case brought by Dominion Voting Systems against Fox News.

In one text message to a colleague on 4 January 2021, he said of Trump” “I hate him passionately.”

“We are very very close to being able to ignore Trump most nights, I truly can’t wait,” he said.

The messages were part of a trove which revealed private opinions and communications between Fox executives and hosts were dramatically different to the messaging they were pushing on air to viewers.

Mr Carlson fumed about the texts release, saying: “And I think this is in the text, and those were all grabbed completely illegitimately, in my opinion um in this court case, which I guess I’m not allowed to talk about, but I’m enraged that my private texts were pulled.”

He claimed he had spoken to Mr Trump about the messages and explained it all.

“And I said this to Trump when he called me, you know, all wounded about those texts. That was a moment in time where I was absolutely infuriated,” he said.

Donald Trump's moving indictment timeline

10:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Workers began erecting barricades around the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse this week, bracing for a potential, unprecedented moment: Donald Trump arriving to face charges in a hush money probe, making him the first president in US history to face criminal charges

A Trump spokesperson clarified the former president’s team has been given “no notification” of an impending arrest beside “illegal leaks”.

Since then several media outlets have speculated on exactly when the legal move will come. What doesn’t appear to be in doubt is that indictment is on the cards.

Trump was given a chance to go before the grand jury - a typical sign that the office is preparing to indict. The grand jury will also need to vote on the indictment but voting down charges is highly irregular.

Josh Marcus has more.

Did Trump get arrested today? The moving indictment timeline

Trump’s late-night Truth Social posts

10:00 , Rachel Sharp

In a sign that his looming indictment could be giving him trouble sleeping, Donald Trump was posting on Truth Social late into the night again on Tuesday.

At around midnight, the former president shared a Fox News article with the headline “Sources say real chance DA may choose not to charge Trump as rumors swirl”.

This came after a day where he made a series of posts on the platform complainining about the Manhattan probe, sharing a Fox News link – and posting a random video from the NCAA Wrestling.

Giuliani mocked over bizarre Cameo nursery thyme clip

09:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City Mayor and ex-personal lawyer to former President Donald Trump, is facing mockery after appearing in a video on the site Cameo reciting the nursery rhyme I’m A Little Teapot.

Mr Giuliani has been on the video greeting site since August 2021, where users can pay him $325 for a personal message tailored to their requests.

Gustaf Kilander reports on another bizarre moment from the man once referred to as “America’s mayor”.

Rudy Giuliani mocked over bizarre Cameo clip recounting nursery rhyme

Trump could be indicted today

09:37 , Rachel Sharp

In a historic day for America, Donald Trump could become the first former president to be indicted on criminal charges today.

The Manhattan grand jury investigating Mr Trump’s role in hush money payments to Stormy Daniels days before the 2016 presidential election will convene at 2pm on Wednesday afternoon.

The panel is then expected to hear from at least one more witness, reported Fox News.

It is not clear who this witness is.

After hearing from all witnesses, the jury will then vote on whether or not to indict Mr Trump.

This means that an indictment could come by Wednesday at the earliest.

The source told the right-wing outlet that – if an indictment is handed down – the former president will not appear in court until sometime next week.

Special counsel prosecutors think Trump deliberately misled his lawyers

09:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Donald Trump knowingly misled his own attorneys about his handling of classified documents after leaving office, according to the contents of a sealed filing in the special counsel investigation of the former president.

The federal special counsel investigating Mr Trump presented a Washington court with evidence that the former president committed “criminal violations” and deliberately misled his lawyers, former DC district court chief judge Beryl Howell wrote in a Friday filing, a source told ABC News.

As a result of the alleged misconduct on Mr Trump’s part, Judge Howell ordered Trump attorney Evan Corcoran to comply with a grand jury subpoena and offer records and testimony in the investigation, which he had previously avoided by claiming attorney-client privilege.

Josh Marcus has more.

Special counsel thinks Trump deliberately misled lawyers on missing docs, report says

ICYMI: Fox News hosts stunned as Trump launches lewd attack on DeSantis

08:45 , Oliver O'Connell

“Oh, good lord!” - Martha MacCallum

Fox News hosts stunned as Trump launches lewd attack on DeSantis over indictment

Paying off a porn actor is ‘ordinary in America’, says Tucker Carlson

08:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Fox News’s resident Trump cheerleader Tucker Carlson was back at it again on Monday in defence of the former president, this time as Donald Trump faces a looming criminal indictment.

In a segment on Monday evening the primetime host spun a narrative about the hush payment Mr Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen made to porn actress Stormy Daniels in 2016.

That it was a totally ordinary thing to do.

John Bowden reports.

Tucker Carlson says Trump’s payoff to a porn actress is ‘ordinary in America’

07:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Protesters shout Trump is ‘guilty’ ahead of anticipated indictment

Trump supporters stage protest

07:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

A demonstrator dressed like the Q-Anon Shaman is seen walking into Trump Tower (Getty Images)
A demonstrator dressed like the Q-Anon Shaman is seen walking into Trump Tower (Getty Images)
Supporters of former president Donald Trump gather for a loyalty rally (REUTERS)
Supporters of former president Donald Trump gather for a loyalty rally (REUTERS)

Court demands of Trump legal team 'completely unheard of', says Tristan Snell

07:08 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

A DC circuit appeals court on Tuesday sought answers from Donald Trump attorneys by Tuesday midnight and a reply from the department of justice (DOJ) by 6am.

The move concerns a request from Jack Smith, the special counsel appointed by the DOJ to investigate Mr Trump’s potential mishandling of classified documents.

Mr Smith found “compelling preliminary evidence” that the former president knowingly misled his own legal team about holding onto the records after leaving office, ABC News reported citing sources.

Commentator Tristan Snell said the move is “completely unheard of.”

“...Normally that process would take MONTHS. Instead they’re making the lawyers submit everything in HOURS,” he wrote on Twitter.

Trump wants to be handcuffed and turn everything into a ‘spectacle’ - report

06:50 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Donald Trump has reportedly told advisers that he wants to be handcuffed when he makes an appearance in court if he is indicted by a Manhattan grand jury.

The former president argued that since he would be required to go to the court and surrender himself to authorities for fingerprinting and a mug shot, he might as well turn everything into a “spectacle”, The Guardian reported citing sources.

Mr Trump, according to unnamed sources, was “deeply anxious that any special arrangements – like making his first court appearance by video link or skulking into the courthouse – would make him look weak or like a loser”.

House GOP demand Alvin Bragg be hauled to Congress over Trump indictment

06:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Republicans have rallied in Donald Trump’s defence after the one-term president predicted that he will be arrested on Tuesday, with a trio of House committee chairs threatening to haul New York City’s top prosecutor in front of Congress to explain himself.

In a letter sent to Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on Monday, House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jim Jordan, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, and House Administration Committee Chair Bryan Steil accused the Democratic prosecutor of being “about to engage in an unprecedented abuse of prosecutorial authority” by indicting Mr Trump.

Graeme Massie and Andrew Feinberg report.

Alvin Bragg rips ‘baseless accusations’ as House Republicans demand his testimony

Murdoch and son could testify as judge weighs trial for Fox News v Dominion

06:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Attorneys for Dominion Voting Systems told a judge in Delaware that Fox News personalities and executives knew that baseless allegations of vote manipulation in the 2020 presidential election were false but continued to air those claims and host the people who made them.

Both parties are seeking summary judgment, each asking the judge to declare them the winner without having to proceed toward a jury trial as scheduled next month.

The company has sued Fox for $1.6bn in a defamation lawsuit alleging that the network, risking losing its viewership and impacting its business, knowingly presented false claims that energised competing networks that were faithful to conspiracy theories elevated by former president Donald Trump and his allies.

Alex Woodward reports.

Fox News and Dominion face off in court as judge decides whether case goes to trial

Unpacking the Stormy Daniels story

05:45 , Oliver O'Connell

John Bowden writes:

Former President Donald Trump has been out of office for two years, and is already itching to go back.

But one figure from his first run for president has refused to go away, and may end up being a major headache for him as he pursues a third White House bid.

We’re talking, of course, about adult film star Stormy Daniels, also known by her real name, Stephanie Clifford. Ms Daniels made headlines in 2018 when she came forward with an allegation that she had been in a romantic extramarital relationship with the president in 2006, and had been threatened and later bribed to keep her mouth shut.

Read more:

Inside the Stormy Daniels hush money payment that could lead to first Trump charges

DeSantis doubles attacks on ‘dramatic and chaotic’ Trump

05:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

Ron DeSantis has doubled down on his attacks on Donald Trump ahead of the former president’s predicted indictment and their likely 2024 clash for the Republican presidential nomination.

The Florida governor told Piers Morgan in an interview that he was not phased by Mr Trump’s mocking and branding of him as “Ron DeSanctimonious” in recent attacks.

“I don’t know how to spell the sanctimonious one. I don’t really know what it means, but I kinda like it, it’s long, it’s got a lot of vowels. We’ll go with that, that’s fine,” he told Morgan on Piers Morgan Uncensored.

Earlier in Panama City, Florida, Mr DeSantis said: “I don’t know what goes into paying hush money to a porn star to secure silence over some type of alleged affair.”

“I just, I can’t speak to that.”

Graeme Massie reports.

Ron DeSantis doubles down Trump attacks ahead of indictment

Don Jr unloads on DeSantis after he failed to back his father

04:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Former president Donald Trump Jr’s son Donald Trump Jr blasted Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for not defending his father enough as the former president faces indictment and potential extradition from the state.

The younger Mr Trump laid into the Florida governor, who is seen as a potential challenger to his father, for offering a weak defence if he would take any action if the former president is indicted.

Eric Garcia reports.

Donald Trump Jr unloads on Ron DeSantis after he failed to back his father

Mugshot, fingerprints, handcuffs? What is the process for indicting Trump

04:15 , Alisha Rahaman Sarkar

The looming criminal indictment now widely expected to be coming down on Donald Trump’s shoulders has left many, including seasoned legal experts who have followed the justice system for years wondering exactly what to expect when it actually happens.

Sources close to the investigation told Politico on Monday that an indictment could be coming as soon as later that day; a possibility that led to law enforcement officials erecting barricades outside of the Manhattan courthouse where Mr Trump’s arraignment would occur.

The former president will probably not be arrested unless he were to fight his indictment and refuse to attend his arraignment.

He would be almost certainly not handcuffed as the crime(s) for which he could be indicted are not considered violent offenses.

John Bowden has more.

Mugshot, fingerprints, handcuffs? The process for indicting Trump

Trump lawyer blasted hush money payments as possibly ‘illegal’ and ‘fraud’ in 2018

03:45 , Oliver O'Connell

When reached by The Independent for comment, Mr Tacopina emphasised that twice during his 2018 appearance on CNN, he said, “if that is in fact the case”.

Gustaf Kilander reports.

Trump lawyer blasted hush money payments as possibly ‘illegal’ and ‘fraud’ in 2018

ICYMI: Late night hosts pour scorn on Trump amid arrest claims

02:45 , Oliver O'Connell

“You’ve got to give it to him. It’s not often that someone sends out a save-the-date for their own arrest.”

Late-night hosts pour scorn on Trump amid arrest claims

How did a porn star become one of the most powerful people in politics?

01:45 , Oliver O'Connell

Stormy Daniels is again at the centre of a national firestorm as New York state prosecutors are reportedly preparing to bring charges against Mr Trump, which would be the first criminal prosecution against a former president in US history.

Io Dodds explains how Daniels ended up as such a crucial figure in contemporary US politics.

How porn star Stormy Daniels became one of the most powerful people in politics

Tucker Carlson team put pictures of Nancy Pelosi in a bathing suit around the office, former producer says

01:15 , Josh Marcus

A former Fox News producer has claimed in a lawsuit that members of the staff of Tucker Carlson’s show put images of former Speaker Nancy Pelosi in a bathing suit up throughout their office to mock her for her appearance.

Abby Grossberg, the former producer, filed a discrimination suit against Fox News, Carlson, and several other executives and producers in a Manhattan court on Monday.

Ms Grossberg, who started working at Tucker Carlson Tonight in September 2022, said she was stunned upon starting her job “to be greeted by many large and blown-up photographs of Nancy Pelosi in a plunging bathing suit revealing her cleavage”.

Abe Asher reports.

Tucker Carlson team put up pictures of Nancy Pelosi in a bathing suit, suit alleges

If he’s arrested and indicted, can Trump still be president?

00:45 , Oliver O'Connell

What happens to the 2024 race, and Donald Trump’s ability to participate in it, if he comes under criminal indictment?

John Bowden reports.

Can Donald Trump still be elected president if he’s arrested and indicted?

Tucker Carlson ‘enraged’ after Trump texts leak and claims to ‘love’ ex-president

00:23 , Josh Marcus

Despite leaked text messages that show Tucker Carlson describing how he “passionately” hates Donald Trump, the Fox News host is claiming it’s quite the opposite.

“Oh, let’s see. I spent four years defending his policies and I, I’m going to defend them again tonight,” Mr Carlson told WABC radio. “And actually, and I’m pretty straight forward, I’m um I love Trump. Like, as a person, I think Trump is funny and insightful.”

Mr Trump has also insisted the two have a good relationship.

“He doesn’t hate me, or at least, not anymore!” Mr Trump claimed earlier this month.

‘He doesn’t hate me’: Trump says Tucker Carlson is still a fan despite legal filings

Mr Carlson said he “passionately” hated Donald Trump and fantasised in 2021 about the day he would no longer have to cover his fellow conservative, according to new messages released as part of a defamation lawsuit against Fox News.

Tucker Carlson said he ‘passionately’ hated Trump, new Fox News lawsuit filings show

“We are very, very close to being able to ignore Trump most nights,” Carlson told an unknown Fox News employee just two days before the January 6 Capitol riot, according to the court documents. “I truly can’t wait.”

“I hate him passionately,” he added.

What is the process for indicting Donald Trump on criminal charges?

Tuesday 21 March 2023 23:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The looming criminal indictment now widely expected to be coming down on Donald Trump’s shoulders has left many, including seasoned legal experts and journalists who have followed the justice system for years wondering exactly what to expect when it actually happens.

John Bowden looks at how things would likely play out.

Mugshot, fingerprints, handcuffs? The process for indicting Trump

Did Donald Trump mislead his own lawyers over Mar-a-Lago documents?

Tuesday 21 March 2023 23:27 , Josh Marcus

Donald Trump knowingly misled his own attorneys about his handling of classified documents after leaving office, according to the contents of a sealed filing in the special counsel investigation of the former president, ABC News reports.

The federal special counsel investigating Mr Trump presented a Washington court with evidence that the former president committed “criminal violations” and deliberately misled his lawyers, former DC district court chief judge Beryl Howell wrote in a Friday filing, a source told the broadcaster. (Judge Howell stepped down the same day as the reported filing.)

As a result of the alleged misconduct on Mr Trump’s part, Judge Howell ordered Trump attorney Evan Corcoran to comply with a grand jury subpoena and offer records and testimony in the investigation, which he had previously avoided by claiming attorney-client privilege.

Attorney-client privilege doesn’t apply to conversations relating to carrying out or concealing a crime.

More details in our full story here.

Judge considers whether Fox News v Dominion case goes to trial

Tuesday 21 March 2023 23:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Attorneys for Dominion Voting Systems told a judge in Delaware that Fox News personalities and executives knew that baseless allegations of vote manipulation in the 2020 presidential election were false but continued to air those claims and host the people who made them.

Both parties are seeking summary judgment, each asking the judge to declare them the winner without having to proceed toward a jury trial as scheduled next month.

Alex Woodward has the latest.

Fox News and Dominion face off in court as judge decides whether case goes to trial

Rand Paul condemns perceived abuse of power by advocating real abuse of power

Tuesday 21 March 2023 23:00 , Oliver O'Connell

After tech issues derail interview, Trump jokes ‘radical left’ to blame

Tuesday 21 March 2023 22:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump’s interview with radio host Jackson Lahmeyer as part of a gathering of pastors hoping to pray for the president’s success in his ongoing criminal investigations was derailed on Monday by persistent audio issues which left the ex-president joking about sabotage from his political enemies.

John Bowden has the story.

Trump jokingly blames ‘radical left’ after tech issues derail interview

ICYMI: Robert Costello claims he destroyed Michael Cohen’s credibility before grand jury

Tuesday 21 March 2023 22:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Donald Trump ally Robert Costello has claimed that he sought to destroy Michael Cohen’s credibility as he testified before the Manhattan grand jury investigating the former president’s role in hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

Mr Costello – a one-time ally turned critic of Mr Trump’s former “fixer” Cohen – gave testimony before the grand jury on Monday as a possible indictment draws ever nearer for the former president.

Rachel Sharp has the details.

Trump ally claims he destroyed Michael Cohen’s credibility before grand jury

Trump accuses DeSantis of... changing the pronunciation of his own name?

Tuesday 21 March 2023 22:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Former President Donald Trump shared a video on Truth Social showing his top 2024 rival Florida Governor Ron DeSantis seeming to change the pronunciation of his name over time.

Mr Trump shared a post from Twitter user Johnny Maga, who asked on 16 March: “Who changes the pronunciation of their own last name in their 40s? Is there anything genuine about this guy?”

Gustaf Kilander has the story.

DeSantis accused of changing pronunciation of his own name

‘You can call me whatever you want’: DeSantis doubles down Trump attacks before indictment

Tuesday 21 March 2023 21:36 , Oliver O'Connell

Ron DeSantis has doubled down on his attacks on Donald Trump ahead of the former president’s predicted indictment and their likely 2024 clash for the Republican presidential nomination.

The Florida governor told Piers Morgan in an interview that he was not phased by Mr Trump’s mocking and branding of him as “Ron DeSanctimonious” in recent attacks.

“I don’t know how to spell the sanctimonious one. I don’t really know what it means, but I kinda like it, it’s long, it’s got a lot of vowels. We’ll go with that, that’s fine,” he told Morgan on Piers Morgan Uncensored.

Graeme Massie reports on this developing story.

Ron DeSantis doubles down Trump attacks ahead of indictment

Trump rants there is ‘no nothing’ there other than Cohen’s lies

Tuesday 21 March 2023 21:30 , Oliver O'Connell

In a late afternoon Truth Social screed by the former president, Donald Trump writes:

Reports, and almost everybody, says, even after in-depth legal study and review, that there was NO CRIME, NO AFFAIR, NO BOOKKEEPING ERROR OR MISDEMEANOR, NO “NOTHING,” OTHER THAN NOW PROVEN LIES BY MICHAEL COHEN, A CONVICTED FELON AND PERJURER, AND THE STRONG LIKELIHOOD OF AN EXTORTION PLOT AGAINST ME. So, after getting CRUSHED yesterday by Cohen’s highly respected attorney, with the case against me FULLY DISPROVEN, why is the D.A. searching for yet another “witness?” TRUMP DERANGEMENT SYNDROME!

Unexpectedly, he then praises former Governor of New Jersey Chris Christie, with whom he has had a checkered relationship, for purportedly schooling Donna Brazile on DA Alvin Bragg’s “hypocrisy” on crime.

Surge in online threats as police prepare for possible Trump indictment

Tuesday 21 March 2023 21:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Violent threats and rhetoric have exploded online ahead of Donald Trump’s potential indictment in a New York hush money investigation, according to intelligence officials.

According to intelligence reports from the US Capitol Police in Washington, the federal DC Fusion Center and the Federal Highway Administration obtained by Rolling Stone, officials have been monitoring worrying online chatter, including one anonymous user who said the former president’s arrest would result in “Jan 6*10 + Guns.”

Josh Marcus has the details.

Online threats surge as law enforcement prepares for potential Trump indictment

Swing voters won’t give Trump ‘thumbs up’ over hush money scandal, says Democrat rep

Tuesday 21 March 2023 21:12 , Oliver O'Connell

Democrat Rep Jeff Jackson of North Carolina weighed in on the political implications of a Trump indictment during an appearance on Fox News.

“I don’t think there’s any universe in which [swing voters] see this underlying behavior, with respect to the affair, and the hush money, and potentially criminal conviction, and give a thumbs up,” the red-state Democrat said.

As clashes with Trump get nasty, DeSantis polling drops

Tuesday 21 March 2023 21:05 , Oliver O'Connell

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis’ support in a potential Republican presidential primary has dropped to its lowest yet as he faces a torrent of criticism from establishment Republicans for his remarks on Ukraine and attacks from Donald Trump, according to a new poll.

Eric Garcia reports from Washington, DC.

DeSantis drops to lowest support in GOP polls after mocking Trump over indictment

Democrats ‘love this dog and pony show we are putting on'

Tuesday 21 March 2023 20:57 , Oliver O'Connell

Rightwing commentator Tomi Lahren has decried Republican infighting centred around Donald Trump and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, which this week has taken on a nastier tone.

“So the corrupt Manhattan DA goes after Donald Trump and y’all point the cannons at Ron DeSantis?!” she wrote on Twitter.

“The Democrats are cracking up. They love this dog and pony show we are putting on.”

Giuliani mocked over bizarre Cameo nursery thyme clip

Tuesday 21 March 2023 20:50 , Oliver O'Connell

Rudy Giuliani, the former New York City Mayor and ex-personal lawyer to former President Donald Trump, is facing mockery after appearing in a video on the site Cameo reciting the nursery rhyme I’m A Little Teapot.

Mr Giuliani has been on the video greeting site since August 2021, where users can pay him $325 for a personal message tailored to their requests.

Gustaf Kilander reports on another bizarre moment from the man once referred to as “America’s mayor”.

Rudy Giuliani mocked over bizarre Cameo clip recounting nursery rhyme

Tuberville: Trump indictment will look like ‘political assassination'

Tuesday 21 March 2023 20:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Four-year sentence for Capitol rioter who attacked police

Tuesday 21 March 2023 20:30 , Oliver O'Connell

A Virginia man who assaulted police with a stolen baton and used a flashing strobe light to disorient officers trying to defend the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021 was sentenced Tuesday to more than four years in prison.

Geoffrey Sills of Mechanicsville, Virginia, was convicted of assault with a dangerous weapon, obstruction of Congress and robbery for his role in the violence at the Capitol’s Lower West Terrace tunnel, where police were beaten and crushed as as they tried to beat back the angry mob of President Donald Trump supporters.

The 31-year-old has already served a year and a half behind bars since his June 2021 arrest.

Read more:

Man gets 4 years for attacking police at Jan. 6 Capitol riot

Trump’s niece mocks uncle for wanting protests

Tuesday 21 March 2023 20:10 , Oliver O'Connell

How Trump is fundraising over his own ‘arrest’ prediction

Tuesday 21 March 2023 20:00 , Oliver O'Connell

Former president Donald Trump fuelled a media firestorm with his all-caps prediction of his own arrest, a claim apparently based on reports of a looming indictment from a criminal investigation in New York. His own team followed up to clarify that he did not receive any indications from prosecutors that he had yet been charged or would be imminently arrested.

Alex Woodward explains how this was then parlayed into a moneyspinner for his 2024 campaign.

How Donald Trump is fundraising over his own ‘arrest’ prediction

Trump’s payoff to a porn actress is ‘ordinary in America’, says Tucker Carlson

Tuesday 21 March 2023 19:40 , Oliver O'Connell

Fox News’s resident Trump cheerleader Tucker Carlson was back at it again on Monday in defence of the former president, this time as Donald Trump faces a looming criminal indictment.

In a segment on Monday evening the primetime host spun a narrative about the hush payment Mr Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen made to porn actress Stormy Daniels in 2016, days before the presidential election, which would go on to be classified as an illegal campaign contribution and land Mr Cohen in prison.

John Bowden unpacks what he said.

Tucker Carlson says Trump’s payoff to a porn actress is ‘ordinary in America’

Judge rejects Trump attempts to delay NY AG civil suit against family and company

Tuesday 21 March 2023 19:30 , Oliver O'Connell

A judge has declined to move the trial date for a $250m civil lawsuit filed against former President Donald Trump, his eldest children, and his company the Trump Organization, ABC News reports.

The suit was brought by New York Attorney General Letitia James against the family and company alleging that they altered the value of their real estate portfolio to dupe banks and insurers.

Judge Arthur Engoron said there was no need to postpone what he called a "seemingly simple case" of whether Trump's disclosures to his lenders and insurers, known as statements of financial condition, were accurate or not.

“The issue is whether the statements were false,” Engoron said. “This case is complex, but it is not complicated.”

The trial is still scheduled to start on 2 October.

The Trumps have denied wrongdoing and the former president has said the lawsuit as politically motivated by the New York attorney general.

Ivanka Trump has separately filed for a delay as a defence arguing that she wasn’t responsible for fraudulent financial statements issued by the company will take more time to prepare.

Ivanka Trump throws brothers and father under bus in New York fraud suit

Ted Cruz jumps on the indictment fundraising bandwagon

Tuesday 21 March 2023 19:25 , Oliver O'Connell

Former Melania adviser calls ‘BS’ on report she left Trump over Stormy Daniels revelations

Tuesday 21 March 2023 19:20 , Oliver O'Connell

Stephanie Winston Wolkoff, the former adviser to Melania Trump in the early days of her time as first lady, has called out reporting that the revelations about Stormy Daniels in early 2018 caused a split between the Trumps.

Melania Trump didn’t leave president over Stormy Daniels affair ex-aide says

Schumer says to comment on Trump indictment ‘premature'

Tuesday 21 March 2023 19:12 , Oliver O'Connell

Trump lawyer once blasted hush money payments as possibly ‘illegal’ and ‘fraud’

Tuesday 21 March 2023 19:00 , Oliver O'Connell

The lawyer representing former President Donald Trump in the hush money payments probe appeared on CNN in 2018 and seemed to criticise the payments as potentially “illegal” and a “fraud”.

Joe Tacopina is representing Mr Trump, making a number of recent media appearances defending him in relation to the investigation by the Manhattan DA.

Gustaf Kilander reports:

Trump lawyer blasted hush money payments as possibly ‘illegal’ and ‘fraud’ in 2018

Tucker Carlson producer alleges culture of misogyny at Fox News

Tuesday 21 March 2023 18:45 , Oliver O'Connell

The day before a key hearing in the network’s legal battle with a voting machine company suing Fox News for defamation, a pair of lawsuits from a female producer at the network allege that Fox fosters a “toxic workplace” where “truth remains a fugitive,” depicting an environment where women are routinely verbally violated “by a poisonous and entrenched patriarchy.”

A federal lawsuit filed on 20 March from a producer for Tucker Carlson Tonight describes a workplace that “subjugates women based on vile sexist stereotypes, typecasts religious minorities and belittles their traditions, and demonstrates little to no regard for those suffering from mental illness.”

Alex Woodward reports.

Lawsuits from Tucker Carlson producer depict culture of ‘systemic chauvinism’ at Fox

Tuesday 21 March 2023 18:30 , Oliver O'Connell

Former White House staffer and host of ‘The View’ worries about implications of Trump indictment

Tuesday 21 March 2023 18:15 , Oliver O'Connell

Alyssa Farah Griffin, a current host of The View on ABC and one-time White House staffer in the Trump administration, worries about the possible implications of not having a rock-solid case against her former boss.

Ms Farah, who became a determined anti-Trumper after the January 6th Capitol riot, posted on Twitter: “I want to see Trump held accountable. But I worry that an indictment over a 7 yr old crime, that may only be a misdemeanor, will be widely perceived as political, & will undermine the much more serious cases (DOJ & Fulton county) he’s facing.”

She added: “The law is the law and no one is above it. But taking the unprecedented step to indict a former president should be done only if the case is rock-solid. Otherwise it risks undermining other critical investigations that should preclude him from ever holding office again.”

Don Jr unloads on DeSantis after he failed to back his father

Tuesday 21 March 2023 17:55 , Oliver O'Connell

Former president Donald Trump Jr’s son Donald Trump Jr blasted Florida Governor Ron DeSantis for not defending his father enough as the former president faces indictment and potential extradition from the state.

“That’s what it is guys, by the billionaire donors, 100 per cent controlled opposition,” Mr Trump said on his show Triggered with Don Jr.

Eric Garcia reports.

Donald Trump Jr unloads on Ron DeSantis after he failed to back his father

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