Democrats and Republicans reacted after former President Donald Trump announced his looming indictment and asked his supporters to “protest” and “take our nation back.”
Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) accused Donald Trump of being “reckless.”
“The former president’s announcement this morning is reckless: doing so to keep himself in the news and to foment unrest among his supporters,” Pelosi said in a March 18 statement.
“He cannot hide from his violations of the law, disrespect for our elections, and incitements to violence,” she continued. “Rightfully, our legal system will decide how to hold him accountable.”
The congresswoman said the case against Trump was significant.
“Whatever the decision is of the Grand Jury, its consideration of this case makes clear: no one is above the law, not even a former President of the United States,” Pelosi concluded.
The Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat, is probing Trump for his involvement in providing $130,000 in hush money to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung, in a statement released on March 16, called Bragg’s investigation into Trump a “witch hunt” and said Trump is “completely innocent” and did “nothing wrong.”
On Saturday, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to announce that he will be arrested on March 21, based on “illegal leaks” from the “corrupt & highly political” DA’s office. He insisted that possible indictment in the case would be “based on an old & fully debunked (by numerous other prosecutors!) fairy tale.”
Trump ended his Truth Social post by telling his supporters, “Protest, take our nation back.”
Some Democrats shared Pelosi’s criticism of Trump.
Rep. Jimmy Gomez (D-Calif.), who sits on the House Oversight Committee, took to Twitter to say Trump’s call to supporters was reminiscent of the Jan. 6 Capitol breach.
“I experienced it firsthand on January 6th when he incited an insurrection,” Gomez wrote. “Now he’s trying to do it again. Trump is, and will always be, a threat to our democracy and the rule of law.”
By Frank Fang
