NY.- Former President Donald Trump will make remarks Tuesday night in Florida after his arraignment in New York on allegations of payments to quell allegations of extramarital affairs, his campaign announced Sunday.
Trump will hold the event at his Mar-a-Lago mansion after returning from Manhattan, where he is expected to voluntarily surrender to authorities. He is expected to be joined by his supporters in Florida as he tries to project an image of strength and defiance and turn the charges into a political asset to boost his 2024 presidential campaign.
Trump faces multiple counts of falsifying business records, including at least one felony, in the indictment handed over last week by a Manhattan grand jury, two people familiar with the matter told The Associated Press who spoke on condition of confidentiality. the anonymity in order to be able to testify about information that is not yet public, since the accusation continues under seal.
Trump has denied any wrongdoing and has said the investigation is part of a longstanding “witch hunt” against him aimed at undermining his candidacy.
Trump aides and lawyers have repeatedly debated whether it is wise for him to appear before the press after his arraignment, as they try to digest the news of an indictment that caught many of them by surprise. Criminal charges have catapulted Trump back into the headlines, and he loves the media attention. Although some of his lawyers would have preferred him to remain silent, his campaign staff believe the new developments have reinvigorated his supporters.
His campaign says Trump has already raised more than $5 million and amassed more than 16,000 volunteer signatures after the impeachment, which Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said are “key indicators that Americans from all walks of life They are sick and tired of the use of the judicial system as a weapon against President Trump and his supporters.”
Trump was indicted Thursday by a grand jury in the case over the 2016 presidential campaign payment to pornographic actress Stormy Daniels, which alleges Trump had an extramarital sexual encounter with her years earlier. Former Playboy model Karen McDougal has also accused him of having an affair with her and says he was paid by the parent company of the National Enquirer tabloid newspaper.
