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The news that the handcuffs of former US President Donald Trump (76) could click next Tuesday sent a quake in American politics.
Curiously, but probably unsurprisingly in his case, it was Trump himself who dropped the bomb on Saturday about his own impending arrest. The ex-president claims to have learned about “illegal leaks from a corrupt and highly political Manhattan prosecutor’s office,” as he wrote on his own news platform Truth Social. The public prosecutor has not yet officially confirmed whether a report will actually be filed.
It concerns the ongoing criminal trial for possible hush money payments to porn actress Stormy Daniels (44). Trump allegedly had an affair with Daniels and bribed her into keeping quiet about it during the 2020 election campaign. Trump admits paying Daniels money but denies the affair.
Political tightrope walk for ex-Vice Pence
Former Trump vice president Mike Pence, 63, was angry about a possible arrest, the Guardian reports. “The thought of impeaching a former president of the United States deeply concerns me,” Pence told media outlets. Still, he made it clear: “No one is above the law.”
Many of Trump’s opponents are calling for the ex-president to resign if he is impeached. Trump has already vehemently ruled that out. When asked about it, Pence said, “This is a free country. Everyone can make their own decisions.”
For Pence, the current situation is a political tightrope walk. It has long been said that he has ambitions for the presidency. While the ex-vice president has not yet officially launched his candidacy, he is expected to do so in the coming weeks.
In a candidacy, Pence would have to convince voters that he is the better alternative to Trump. On the other hand, he shouldn’t mess with Trump too much since he still has the highest popularity ratings among Republicans.
Haley and DeSantis are silent (still)
Other Republican presidential candidates face the same problem. So far, other than Trump, only two Republicans have officially entered the race for the party’s internal nomination. Ex-UN ambassador Nikki Haley (51) and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy (37).
Haley has so far not commented on the Trump investigation or his possible arrest. The same goes for Ron DeSantis (44), a possible presidential candidate and currently Trump’s most serious internal party competitor.
So far only Ramaswamy has spoken. He described Trump’s possible arrest as a “dark moment in American history”.
McCarthy comes to Trump’s aid
The Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy (58), came to Trump’s aid. “One possible charge is a blatant abuse of power by a radical prosecutor who lets violent criminals go while seeking political revenge against Trump.”
He will therefore instruct Republican-led congressional committees “to immediately investigate whether federal funds are being used to undermine our democracy by interfering with politically motivated law enforcement in elections,” McCarthy said. (ceded)
Source: Blick
I am Amelia James, a passionate journalist with a deep-rooted interest in current affairs. I have more than five years of experience in the media industry, working both as an author and editor for 24 Instant News. My main focus lies in international news, particularly regional conflicts and political issues around the world.
