Donald Trump asserted on Saturday that his arrest is close and issued an unusual call for his fans to protest as a grand jury in New York investigates,
hush money payments to women who have alleged relationships with the former president.
Trump stated in a social media post that he expects to be brought into prison on Tuesday,
despite the fact that his attorney and spokesman indicated they had not had any communication from prosecutors.
His remark appeared to be intended to preempt a formal announcement from prosecutors and to incite outrage among his base of followers prior to widely anticipated indictments.
Within hours, his campaign sent money requests to his supporters,
while important Republicans in Congress and even some announced and possible rival candidates defended him.
All of this evoked in ominous ways the language he employed just prior to the January 6, 2021 uprising at the U.S. Capitol.
After seeing the then-president speak at a rally in Washington that morning,
his supporters marched to the Capitol and attempted to prevent the legislative certification of Democrat,
Joe Biden's White House triumph by bursting through doors and windows and leaving officers bruised and beaten.