Trump rages over indictment, calls it "persecution"
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
In a lengthy statement and on Truth Social, former President Trump angrily responded to news of his indictment Thursday by casting the charges as political persecution.
Driving the news: It's the first time in U.S. history a former president has been indicted. Trump has frequently cast himself as a victim of overzealous investigators and has called for protests.
"Never before in our nation's history has this been done," Trump said a statement, calling the indictment a "witch hunt" and alleging that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg was "doing Joe Biden's dirty work."
On Truth Social, Trump said: "These Thugs and Radical Left Monsters have just INDICATED [sic] the 45th President of the United States of America, and the leading Republican Candidate" for president.
- "THIS IS AN ATTACK ON OUR COUNTRY THE LIKES OF WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE. IT IS LIKEWAISE 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!"
In his statement, Trump predicted that a Manhattan grand jury's decision to indict him over alleged hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016 would motivate his supporters in upcoming elections.
- “I believe this Witch-Hunt will backfire massively on Joe Biden."
- He immediately began fundraising off of the indictment.
