Law enforcement plans security for Trump’s possible indictment as soon as next week

Law enforcement at the local, state and federal levels are preparing for the possibility that former President Donald Trump could be charged as soon as next week in connection with the silent payment of Stormy Daniels, reports NBC News.

The network cites five senior officials familiar with the preparations.

Preliminary security assessments are underway, officials said, along with discussions of potential security plans near the Manhattan Criminal Court at 100 Center Street in the event Mr. Trump shows up in person to face any charges.

The NYPD, New York State law enforcement officers, the US Secret Service, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office are all involved.

Officials stress that any planning is preemptive because no charges have yet been filed by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office.

Mr. Trump’s camp has launched a fierce attack on prosecutors investigating Stormy Daniels’ silent payments, which could be a sign that the former president’s camp is worried about an impending indictment.

Campaign spokesman Steven Cheung released a statement on Thursday criticizing Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office for what they claim is a “witch hunt” against the one-term president.

“President Donald J. Trump is completely innocent, he has done nothing wrong, and even the most radical left-wing Democrats make that clear,” Cheung said.

While Mr Trump has repeatedly attacked the New York investigation on his Truth Social platform, the lengthy official statement suggests his camp is growing increasingly concerned that a criminal indictment may be imminent.

This week – the same week that adult film star Ms. Daniels and former Mr. Trump fixer Michael Cohen testified before the grand jury – Mr. Trump’s lawyer, Joe Tacopina, launched a blitz media to slam the investigation in a number of tense exchanges with journalists.

DA Bragg’s office also invited Mr Trump to testify this week – an invitation he unsurprisingly declined.

Although it was an invitation he was unlikely to accept, it sent the clearest signal yet that he could face criminal charges for his role in the money payments. silent to Mrs. Daniels.

Under New York law, a person has the right to appear before a grand jury before a prosecutor asks the grand jury to indict them.

Manhattan prosecutors are investigating whether Mr. Trump falsified Trump Organization business records when Mr. Cohen paid Ms. Daniels $130,000 days before the 2016 election.

Prosecutors say the money was used to silence Ms Daniels about an alleged affair she allegedly had with Mr Trump.

Mr Trump has long denied having an affair with the adult film star.

If prosecuted, Mr Trump would become the first former president in US history to face criminal charges.