Trump says getting shot during arrest would win him the presidency in 2024: Report

Former US President Donald Trump is reportedly willing to make a spectacle out of his potential indictment by a Manhattan grand jury. The charges relate to a hush money payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in 2016 by Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen. Trump is allegedly shrugging off the Secret Service’s suggestion to appear in court quietly, instead claiming that if someone shot him during arrest, he’d become a “martyr” who would probably win the presidency in 2024, according to the Guardian.

Advisers to the former president have shared that he also wants to be handcuffed during the in-person court appearance, seeing the situation as a chance to get attention and gain support from his base before the 2024 presidential election. A recent poll shows that Trump is ahead of Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is thought to be his main rival for the Republican nomination, by 28 percentage points.

If he appears in court through video call, Trump fears he would look weak and defeated, as he believes the charges against him aren’t fair and are a result of a “highly political” vendetta. The subpoena deadline was on Monday, and many are speculating a potential indictment announcement could come as early as Wednesday.

Trump has raised concerns over an attempted character assassination, prompting law enforcement officials to prepare for possible unrest or violence. GOP lawmakers have spoken out against a possible indictment, with some calling the prosecution of Trump “driven by political considerations” whose goal is to distract from the other crises in the country.

The case revolves around alleged hush money payments made to Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential election campaign to keep her from speaking out about her relationship with Trump.