Facing Trump’s possible impeachment, his camp denounced the charges as “political”.

Republican leaders on Sunday denounced “political assertiveness” against Donald Trump, who could become the first former US president, as Democrats worried that the billionaire’s call for demonstrations could lead to more violence from his supporters.

The prospect of an indictment against Donald Trump has suddenly increased since he was asked to testify in the so-called “Stormy Daniels” case, a possible sign that the investigation by the New York prosecutor’s office is coming to an end. This pertains to paid dating from 2016 to buy the silence of this porn actress on alleged prior relationship.

On Saturday, the former Republican president, who is again a candidate for the 2024 presidential election, said he was being “arrested” on Tuesday, and urged his supporters to “save America” ​​and “resist”. called upon.

In the process, several Republicans came to her defense, foremost among them Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin McCarthy, who denounced the “abuse of power” on the part of the New York State Attorney for Manhattan. Alvin Bragg.

Even former Vice President Mike Pence, who distanced himself from Donald Trump following his supporters’ attack on the Capitol on January 6, 2021, extended his support to the billionaire on Sunday.

The lawsuits are “politically motivated”, judged his former right-hand man, who himself has ambitions for 2024 and therefore cares about his image with the Republican base. He said he was “disappointed” that a former president could be charged by this prosecutor “at a time of crime wave in New York”.

“Americans have a constitutional right to assemble peacefully,” he said.

On the democratic side, such a defense was considered irresponsible.

Mr Pence “put his own ambitions above the general interest” by “attacking potential prosecutions against Trump and defending a call to demonstrate”, said House elected official Adam Schiff, a former member of the parliamentary commission that investigated Was, deal with. Attack on the Capitol.

– Security Challenge –

Democratic Senator Elizabeth Warren said on Sunday, “There is no reason to demonstrate.” “It’s about serving justice to anyone without fear or privilege.”

A day earlier, elected Democrat Nancy Pelosi, who presides over the House of Representatives on January 6, 2021, described Donald Trump’s performance as “dangerous”.

Arizona Democratic Senator Mark Kelly said on Sunday, “It will be important for law enforcement to look into these protests and make sure they don’t escalate to the level of violence.” He was worried.

According to press reports, prosecutor Alvin Bragg assured his teams that any “attempts of intimidation” or threats would not be “tolerated”.

Several US media have reported that local and federal authorities are preparing for the possibility of impeaching the former president, which could pose a security challenge in the event of protests outside the court, whether supporters or opponents of Donald Trump.

Such an unprecedented indictment would undoubtedly be explosive and could mark the 2024 presidential campaign.

Although, according to US journalists, the former White House tenant fears the possibility of arrest, an indictment could also benefit him by strengthening his base.

Influential Senator Lindsey Graham on Saturday described New York prosecutors as “selective,” saying “the prosecutor in New York did more to help Donald Trump get elected president than anyone in the United States today.”

The lawsuits “will generate a lot of sympathy for the former president”, added Republican Governor Chris Sununu of New Hampshire, who predicted “a political circus”.

The legal investigation relates to a $130,000 payment made to actress Stormy Daniels – Stephanie Clifford by her real name – to conceal an alleged affair with Mr Trump. This payment was won by the billionaire just before the presidential election in 2016.

The New York prosecutor’s office believes it was a question of influencing the election by withholding embarrassing information from becoming public, and therefore a concealed donation to the president’s campaign in violation of campaign finance laws.