US: Donald Trump says he expects to be arrested on Tuesday

Former US President Donald Trump said on Saturday that he expects to be arrested this coming Tuesday, and made a call for protests.

Trump didn't provide details as to why he believed he would be arrested, saying only that there had been "illegal leaks" from the Manhattan district attorney's office.

"Illegal leaks from a corrupt and highly political Manhattan district attorney's office ... indicate that, with no crime being able to be proven ... the far and away leading Republican candidate and former President of the United States of America, will be arrested on Tuesday of next week," Trump wrote in block capital letters on his Truth Social media platform.

"Protest, take our nation back!" demanded Trump.

The lengthy post described the investigation as "debunked" and the district attorney's office as "highly political" and said the district attorney's office's leader "is funded by George Soros," a reference to the Jewish billionaire and philanthropist who's often a lightning rod for the far-right. 

Trump doubled down in a later post, again using block capitals and multiple exclamation marks at times. "It's time!" Trump wrote. "We just can't allow this anymore. They're killing our nation as we sit back and watch. We must save America! Protest, protest, protest!"

Republican House Speaker Kevin McCarthy came out strongly against any plans to prosecute Trump, calling them an "outrageous abuse of power by a radical DA" whom he claimed was pursuing "political vengeance." 

Trump's legal woes

The former president's comments come as New York authorities prepare a possible indictment over hush money allegedly paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels — prior to the 2016 election — to buy her silence over an alleged one-night stand with Trump in 2006.

Trump has denied having an affair with Daniels and has dismissed the investigation as politically motivated.

If authorities were to indict Trump, it would make him the first former president to be charged with a criminal offense.

Trump faces a number of criminal probes at both state and federal level over possible wrongdoing before, during and after his first term in office which could put a second run for the White House in jeopardy.

There is also a federal probe into Trump's handling of classified documents including his possible involvement in the January 6, 2021, riot at the US Capitol.

Daniels will be 'available as a witness' if needed — lawyer

Trump's lawyer told CNBC on Friday evening that his client would surrender to face criminal charges if he was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury.

Meanwhile, according to her lawyer Charles Brewster, Daniels met with prosecutors on Wednesday and "agreed to make herself available as a witness, or for further inquiry if needed."  

kb/msh (AFP, Reuters)