Former President Donald Trump has been indicted on 34 counts related to falsifying business records, according to CNN.
The indictment stems from Trump allegedly falsifying business records concerning a $130,000 payment to Daniels in 2016 over an alleged sexual encounter that the two had in 2006. The former president has denied the encounter and any wrongdoing.
CNN’s John Miller reports that they were informed of the number of indictments by an unnamed source — as the indictment remains sealed.
BREAKING: CNN reports Donald Trump will face 34 counts of falsifying business records.
— ALX 🇺🇸 (@alx) March 30, 2023
Trump’s attorney Joe Tacopina told NBC News that the former president would surrender to the Manhattan DA’s office early next week. He has promised to fight the “political prosecution” in court.
Bragg confirmed the indictment in a tweet on Thursday evening but did not provide details about the number of charges or what they are.
— Alvin Bragg (@ManhattanDA) March 30, 2023
“This evening, we contacted Mr. Trump’s attorney to coordinate his surrender to the Manhattan D.A.’s Office for arraignment on a Supreme Court indictment, which remains under seal,” the statement read. “Guidance will be provided when the arraignment date is selected.”
Trump is now the first former president to be criminally charged in history.
In a statement posted to Truth Social, Trump wrote that “this is political persecution and election interference at the highest level in history. From the time I came down the golden escalator at Trump Tower, and even before I was sworn in as your President of the United States, the Radical Left Democrats — the enemy of the hard-working men and women of this country — have been engaged in a With-Hunt to destroy the Make America Great Again movement. You remember it just like I do: Russia, Russia, Russia; the Mueller hoax; Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine; Impeachment Hoax 1; Impeachment Hoax 2; the illegal and unconstitutional Mar-a-Lago raid; and now this.”
“Rather than stopping the unprecedented crime wave taking over New York City, he’s doing Joe Biden’s dirty work, ignoring the murders and burglaries and assaults he should be focused on. This is how Bragg spends his time!”
Trump said that he believes the witch hunt will backfire massively on Joe Biden and that the American people realize what the “radical left Democrats are doing here.”
“Everyone can see it,” Trump wrote. “So our movement and our Party — united and strong — will first defeat Alvin Bragg, and then we will defeat Joe Biden, and we are going to throw every last one of these Crooked Democrats out of office so we can MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
In a follow-up post, Trump wrote that “These Thugs and Radical Left Monsters have just INDICATED the 45th President of the United States of America, and the leading Republican Candidate, by far, for the 2024 Nomination for President. THIS IS AN ATTACK ON OUR COUNTRY THE LIKES OF WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE. IT IS LIKEWISE A CONTINUING ATTACK ON OUR ONCE FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS. THE USA IS NOW A THIRD WORLD NATION, A NATION IN SERIOUS DECLINE. SO SAD!”
Editor’s Note: This article has been updated with additional information.
