Former president Donald Trump has once again made headlines with his latest warning of potential "death & destruction" if he is charged in the Manhattan District Attorney's Office criminal investigation of hush money payments to Porn Star Stormy Daniels to keep quiet an alleged affair during the 2016 campaign. Trump posted recently on Truth Social, his own social media platform, that he would be arrested the following Tuesday and urged his supporters to protest and "take back our nation" if an indictment is filed.
The Manhattan Grand Jury has reportedly not met on Wednesday or Thursday, and any charges are not expected to be filed until the earliest next week. However, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has made it clear that he will not be intimidated by Trump's rhetoric, with his office responding to a letter from the House Republicans asking for his testimony. The Justice Department is also investigating Trump over his handling of classified documents upon leaving the White House and his conduct around Jan. Six riots.
The latest comments of Trump have echoes of the days leading up to the attack on the U.S. The Capitol was occupied by a pro-Trump mob, in which he had urged his followers to assemble in Washington that day, with the words “Be there and you will be wild!” In response to Trump's rhetoric, House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y. ) said that it was "reckless, reprehensible and irresponsible...It’s dangerous. And if he keeps it up he’s going to get someone killed". House Majority Leader Steve Scalise (R-La. ) also said that "there’s no place in America for political violence of any kind".
Hours after Trump's warning, an envelope with a white substance was sent to the district attorney’s office determined not to be dangerous. Bragg has indicated that the office will press ahead with investigation despite receiving harassing and threatening phone calls and emails. Trump will have another opportunity to criticize Bragg and other state and federal prosecutors investigating his conduct at a rally scheduled on Saturday in Waco, Texas.
Several Republicans have rejected political violence, but have not specifically criticized Trump, who is the front-runner for the GOP presidential nomination in 2024. House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif. ) has slammed Bragg's investigation, but has said that supporters of Trump should not protest if the former president is indicted. Extremism monitors have said that the attacks on Bragg are alarming and Trump's calls for violence are unmistakable. Rep. Emmanuel D. Leahy of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Rep. Michael McCaul (R-Tex. ) said that he is "all for peaceful protests, but peaceful protests. No violence "
It remains to be seen what will happen in the coming days as the Manhattan Grand Jury continues to weigh evidence against Trump and the Justice Department carries out its investigation.