Right-wing podcaster and political strategist Steve Bannon on Saturday predicted what will happen if former President Donald Trump faces indictment, as is widely expected, in New York next week.
Posting to his social media platform Truth Social, Trump—who is currently campaigning for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination—said on Saturday that he would be indicted on Tuesday. The post came following media reports that the Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office was coordinating with law enforcement regarding the arrest of the former president.
Bragg has been investigating Trump’s alleged campaign finance violation related to a 2016 “hush money” payment of $130,000 to adult performer Stephanie Clifford, better known by her stage name Stormy Daniels. The New York probe appeared to be heating up in recent weeks as close Trump associates reportedly testified, and the former president himself was invited to appear before the grand jury reviewing evidence.
Bannon, who previously served as the CEO of Trump’s 2016 campaign and then as a White House adviser, responded to the news of the looming indictment in a Gettr post. He suggested that criminally charging the former president would only serve to benefit Trump politically.
“TRUMP WINS IN HISTORIC LANDSLIDE, SAVES THE NATION…[sic],” Bannon wrote. The post included a screenshot of the same sentiment expressed by billionaire Twitter owner and Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
“If this happens, Trump will be re-elected in a landslide victory,” Musk tweeted.
If this happens, Trump will be re-elected in a landslide victory
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 18, 2023
In a previous Getter post, Bannon wrote: “Two Systems of Justice—wone [sic] established to get Trump and MAGA…focused on destroying Trump and MAGA…”
Newsweek reached out to Bannon and the Manhattan District Attorney’s office via email for comment. Spokespeople for the district attorney’s office have previously declined to comment on the matter to other media outlets.
“THE FAR & AWAY LEADING REPUBLICAN CANDIDATE & FORMER PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, WILL BE ARRESTED ON TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK. PROTEST, TAKE OUR NATION BACK!” Trump wrote on Truth Social.
He reiterated his calls for demonstrations by his supporters later on Saturday.
“THEY’RE KILLING OUR NATION AS WE SIT BACK & WATCH. WE MUST SAVE AMERICA!PROTEST, PROTEST, PROTEST!!!” he wrote.
The posts have raised concerns by some analysts that Trump supporters could riot similar to what happened on January 6, 2021. In that demonstration, many of Trump’s followers violently attacked the U.S. Capitol in an apparent effort to disrupt the formal certification of President Joe Biden‘s electoral college victory.
Trump remains under investigation by the Justice Department related to the events of January 6 and his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Some legal analysts believe he will face a federal indictment related to that probe.
Despite the concerns from a number of commentators, others don’t believe Trump’s supporters will respond with violence.
“Even the people stupid enough to still support Trump are not stupid enough to stage another January 6,” Ann Coulter, a right-wing pundit who previously supported Trump, told Newsweek in a Saturday email.
Trump and his allies contend that the investigation and possible indictment in New York are politically motivated. They argue that Democrats are working through the justice system in an effort to prevent Trump from winning in 2024 and to suppress his political movement.
Bragg, a Democrat, and analysts who support an indictment, have said that nobody is above the law, regardless of their political status. The district attorney has said that his investigation is simply following the facts. If Trump is indicted, it will be the first time in U.S. history that a former president is criminally charged.
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