Former President Donald Trump announced Sunday that he will “deliver remarks” at his Mar-a-Lago Florida resort following his first appearance in Manhattan court on charges tied to the Stormy Daniels “hush money” payment.
Trump, 76, will speak from his Palm Beach home and resort at 8:15 p.m. Tuesday, his campaign said in an emailed statement. The statement offered no other comment about the case.
The speech — Trump’s first since a grand jury voted to indict him last week — would follow his scheduled 2:15 p.m. arraignment in Manhattan Supreme Court.
The former president is expected to arrive in Manhattan on Monday and remain overnight at Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue.
Trump was indicted on Thursday in connection to the $130,000 payoff made to Daniels in the lead up to the 2016 election — marking the first time a former US president has faced criminal charges.
The former president and his allies have blasted Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg for what they called a politically motivated investigation into the front-runner for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024.
The specifics of the indictment, which remain under seal, will be disclosed at the arraignment. Reports say Trump will be hit with more than 30 counts, including at least one felony.
Justice Juan Merchan, who oversaw the trial involving the Trump Organization that resulted in the company paying a $1.6 million penalty, is expected to preside over the arraignment.
Trump lashed out at the judge, saying he “railroaded” former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg, who is serving time on Rikers Island after pleading guilty to tax fraud charges.
“The Judge ‘assigned’ to my Witch Hunt Case, a ‘Case’ that has NEVER BEEN CHARGED BEFORE, HATES ME. His name is Juan Manuel Marchan, was hand picked by Bragg & the Prosecutors,” Trump wrote Friday, misspelling Merchan’s name.
Merchan “is the same person who ‘railroaded’ my 75 year old former CFO, Allen Weisselberg, to take a ‘plea’ deal (Plead GUILTY, even if you are not, 90 DAYS, fight us in Court, 10 years (life!) in jail,” Trump wrote.