Trump warns of 'death and destruction' if he is indicted over Stormy Daniels hush money
24 March 2023, 19:09
Donald Trump has warned of "death and destruction" if he is indicted over claims he paid hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels.
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Mr Trump's lawyers allegedly paid Stormy Daniels $130,000 to keep quiet about their affair over six years ago.
However, he has denied ever having an affair with her, calling the payment a "simple private transaction" and the investigation politically motivated.
It comes after New York prosecutors probing the payment said they would not be intimidated by the former US president.
Trump on Stormy Daniels
He wrote on his Truth Social platform shortly after midnight on Friday: "What kind of person can charge another person, in this case a former President of the United States, who got more votes than any sitting President in history, and leading candidate (by far!) for the Republican Party nomination, with a Crime, when it is known by all that NO Crime has been committed, & also known that potential death & destruction in such a false charge could be catastrophic for our Country?"
He suggested in a separate post that there could be "years of hatred, chaos, and turmoil" if he is arrested and previously called on his supporters to protest in response to the inquiry.
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Trump could be indicted by jury as soon as this week over hush money payments
The probe is expected to result in criminal charges against Mr Trump, who on Saturday wrongly predicted he would be arrested over the investigation.
He has since issued a string of verbal attacks on Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg since his initial post.
Mr Bragg's office said Mr Trump had "created a false expectation that he would be arrested".
He urged Republicans rallying behind Mr Trump to let his office carry out its work after three party members requested he provide them with communications, documents and testimony about his inquiry.
He called the chairmen's request for documents an "unlawful incursion into New York's sovereignty".
The Manhattan grand jury will reconvene next week to decide whether to bring an indictment.
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