Donald Trump’s son has condemned the recent decision to charge his father over a 2016 payment of hush money to porn star Stormy Daniels.
Eric Trump spoke exclusively to on Thursday, shortly after a Manhattan grand jury decided to criminally indict Trump for paying $130,000, criticizing the verdict as a “reckless assault” and an example of “the decline of American law.” “.
The charges are still unspecified, but it is the first time in history that an ex-president is facing a criminal case – with the exact charges expected to be announced in the coming days.
The decision, announced Thursday afternoon, marks the end of a year-long investigation into monies paid to the adult film star, ostensibly to buy her silence.
It also marks a victory for Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, whose office was responsible for investigating the payment confirmed by former Trump fixer Michael Cohen during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Speaking exclusively to , shortly after a Manhattan grand jury ruled to bill his father for the $130,000 payment, Eric lashed out at Trump – seen here arriving at Trump Tower after the verdict – it as “ruthless attack” and an example of “the decline”. of American law”
As yet unspecified, the charges serve as the first time in history that an ex-president has faced criminal prosecution — with the exact allegations expected to be announced in the coming days. The decision — announced Thursday afternoon — also marks the end of a year-long investigation into $130,000 paid to Stormy Daniels, allegedly to buy her to remain silent about their affair
“This is the opportunistic speech of a political opponent in an election year,” said the ex-head of state’s 39-year-old second son, explaining the grand jury’s decision.
“They are ruthlessly attacking my father for daring to challenge the political elite,” he continued. “This is Exhibit A on the Decline of American Law.”
Eric shared another statement on Twitter shortly after, noting that the indictment comes nearly four years after the federal government decided not to indict Trump on the same allegations — and on the cusp of the 2024 presidential election.
“This is misconduct by third world prosecutors. It’s the opportunistic targeting of a political opponent in an election year.’
Other members of the Trump clan reacted similarly, with eldest scion Donald Trump Jr. taking to Truth Social to slam the decision in a livestream in front of his millions of followers.
He wrote in an accompanying post on Twitter: “This is not just the radical left arming the government to target their political enemies, but arming the government to meddle in the 2024 election to stop Trump .
“The only solution is to stick it down their throats and bring him back to the White House!!! #MAGA’
Others who criticized the decision included Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel and Texas Senator Ted Cruz, who told the substance of the case against his old Republican rival was “complete rubbish”.
Meanwhile, it emerged Thursday that New York prosecutors also wanted to indict Trump over a second, previously known, payment to former Playboy model Karen McDougal, who was named Playmate of the Year by the magazine in 1998.
McDougal, 52, claimed she had an affair with Trump in 2006 and 2007 and sold the rights to her story to the recently acquired National Enquirer for $150,000, also during the run-up to the 2016 presidential election.
Rather than publish the story, The Enquirer chose to shelve it — in an ethically dubious journalistic practice known as “catch and kill.”
Bragg’s team has already questioned grand jury witnesses about cash given to McDougal, now 52, sources told the Wall Street Journal, just before it was announced indictments would be brought against Trump in the Daniels case.
A grand jury has heard evidence supporting claims that Donald Trump paid adult film star Stormy Daniels $130,000 to buy her to remain silent about their affair
Meanwhile, it emerged Thursday that New York prosecutors wanted to indict Trump for paying $150,000 to another former Playboy model, Karen McDougal
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has been widely criticized for his handling of the case. Many say it has no legs and is fueled by its own political hatred of Trump
Trump has since denied having an affair with either woman after it was revealed that his former fixer and attorney Michael Cohen and longtime Enquirer boss David Pecker were presiding over the payments.
The allegations came to light while Trump was in office, sparking a full federal investigation — which Trump eventually carried out without charge.
His fixer wasn’t so lucky, though — Cohen pleaded guilty to eight federal charges in 2017, including tax evasion, fraud and campaign finance violations. At the time, he told a Manhattan court that Trump instructed him to make the payments.
However, the investigation faded from the headlines as other legal cases centered on Trump’s family business dominated the news, including his actions around the time of the Jan. 6, 2021 riot.
But the case, though forgotten by some, never really went away – even after the Justice Department decided to drop its two-year investigation in 2019.
At the time, with the Federal Election Commission deadlocked to crack down on claims that the payment constituted an undeclared campaign contribution, Manhattan prosecutors said they were still reviewing the case.
Little would happen over the next four years until last January, when Cohen – who was finishing his Covid-commuted sentence in late 2021 – was spotted meeting with investigators from Bragg’s Office.
And it picked up new momentum in early 2023, when Cohen met with investigators from the Manhattan Attorney’s Office and revealed a grand jury was hearing evidence.
Such hearings are conducted in secret. However, one theory was that Trump was under investigation for falsifying business records related to the payment, allegedly by misrepresenting a campaign donation as legal fees.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is one of at least 75 liberal district attorneys who have received millions in funding from George Soros-backed political action committees
In 2017, former Trump attorney and fixer Michael Cohen pleaded guilty to eight federal charges, including tax evasion, fraud and campaign finance violations, and he told a Manhattan court that Trump ordered him to make the payments
Trump used a social media post on Saturday to call on his supporters to protest as he claimed to be arrested as early as Tuesday. Helpers say they don’t know when
The New York Young Republicans Club is hosting a protest Monday night. “Join us in peaceful protest against Alvin Bragg’s heinous attack on President Donald J. Trump…” it reads
This is tantamount to an offence. But that becomes a crime when done in conjunction with a second crime, such as campaign finance violations.
Then in March, Bragg’s office asked Trump to testify in what was the clearest sign yet that he could be indicted.
The former president confirmed this in a social media post over the weekend and called on supporters to stand up in protest.
“By far the leading Republican nominee and former President of the United States will be arrested Tuesday next week,” he posted on his Truth Social platform. “Protest, take back our nation!”
The final act was reportedly repeated testimony by Trump’s attorney Robert Costello on Monday.
He was asked by the former president’s legal team to appear because he may have evidence contradicting Cohen’s account. Secretly, Trump’s allies are confident that the case has little substance.
New York Police Department officials erect barricades around the Lower Manhattan court complex ahead of the awaited indictment of former President Donald Trump
An insider told that it strengthens him politically and mobilizes grassroots support for him. “It’s very obvious that this is helpful,” he said.
He added that in order to bring the second charge and make the case a felony, prosecutors would need to prove Trump wanted to cover up an affair to help his campaign, even though the business mogul’s love life has made headlines in New York for decades had made .
“Obviously nobody wants to be charged, but it’s helpful politically and legally, it’s not even that big of a threat because the case is so weak and overtly political looking,” the source added.
Legal experts have also commented on the shortcomings of the case.
“While it may be politically popular, the case is legally pathetic,” said Jonathan Turley, Shapiro Professor of Public Interest at George Washington University, in a column for The Hill.
“Bragg is struggling to twist state laws to effectively prosecute a long-dead federal case against Trump over his payment of @silence@ to former stripper Stormy Daniels, long ago denied by the Justice Department.
“In 2018 (yes, that’s how long the theory has been around) I wrote about how difficult such a federal case would be under existing electoral laws. Now, six years later, the same theory could be put into a state claim.’
Meanwhile, it emerged Thursday that Manhattan DA Bragg’s team was questioning grand jury witnesses about cash given by Playboy magazine to Karen McDougal, the 1998 Playmate of the Year.
McDougal claims she had a 10-month affair with Trump that began in 2006. Trump’s office released a statement Thursday branding the development a “hoax.”
Evidence of payments to McDougal could either be used to create new charges or establish a “pattern of behavior” in the Daniels case, sources told the Wall Street Journal, which revealed the development.
A spokesman for Trump said: “It is sad to see radical Democrats and their media partners trying to revive a dead witch hunt.
“As with any other hoax targeted at President Trump, there is no crime other than interfering with elections by arming our justice system against President Trump and his supporters.”
Bragg’s office and McDougal’s attorney had not commented on the latest development Thursday afternoon.
American Media Inc, the owner of the National Enquirer, paid McDougal $150,000 in 2016 for the exclusive rights to the story about her alleged affair with Trump, which he denies. But the purchase was a “catch and kill” tactic to prevent the story from being published.
The Federal Election Commission later ruled that the company and its former President David Pecker cut the deal with Trump officials to quash the story and “prevent it from affecting the election.”
The FEC decision detailed how Pecker and AMI met with Trump’s former fixer Michael Cohen to help end negative stories about Trump and his relationships.
And it concluded that AMI “coordinated” with the Trump campaign in paying McDougal $150,000. Pecker testified before the Trump Grand Jury on Monday.