Kevin McCarthy urges Trump fans not to protest if he is arrested, claims Trump agrees

Republicans spent Sunday responding to former President Donald Trump's prediction Saturday that he will be arrested in Manhattan on Tuesday and call for his supporters to "protest, take our nation back!" Trump's lawyers said the former president is basing his prediction not on any inside information but on media reports about Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's investigation into 2016 hush-money payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels to keep her from discussing an alleged sexual affair with Trump.
Bragg and his office have made no public comment on the investigation, though NBC News and The Associated Press report that law enforcement agencies have been meeting in Manhattan to prepare for a possible indictment or court appearance by Trump. Bragg sent his office a memo Saturday, after Trump's social media posts, assuring his staff that "we do not tolerate attempts to intimidate our office or threaten the rule of law in New York" and law enforcement will investigate "any specific or credible threats against the office."
A witness recommended by Trump's lawyers is meeting with Bragg's grand jury on Monday.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) criticized the Stormy Daniels investigation, calling it politically motivated and claiming Bragg is "trying to make a misdemeanor a felony," but he said Sunday that people shouldn't take to the streets if Trump is arrested. "I don't think people should protest this, no," McCarthy told reporters in Orlando. "And I think President Trump, if you talked to him, doesn't believe that either. I think the thing that you may misinterpret when President Trump talks and someone says that they can protest, he's probably referring to my tweet: educate people about what's going on." He said he has not spoken with Trump himself.
"Nobody should harm one another," McCarthy added. "We want calmness out there."
"On right-wing social media channels over the weekend, some Trump supporters were debating the merits of violent versus nonviolent protest, loosely contemplating a trucker strike or a bank run while others warned of a deep state 'trap,'" Politico reports.
Some rival GOP presidential candidates also criticized Bragg's investigation; long-shot contender Vivek Ramaswamy tried to make supporting Trump a litmus test for the 2024 primary, though declared GOP candidate Nikki Haley and presumptive candidate Gov. Ron De Santis (R-Fla.), despite pressure from Trump's team, have remained silent.
If Trump is indicted, he "will benefit from a short-term rush of support" from GOP voters and small-dollar donors, Republicans tell Politico, though "independent and Democratic voters will be reminded of the drama and scandals that seem to perpetually follow Trump."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
July 2 editorial cartoons
Cartoons Wednesday's political cartoons include a problem for Florida sports fans, a pork-laden 'Big, beautiful, bill' and future generations being saddled with debt.
-
Evita: 'TikTok musical theatre' or 'total triumph'?
Talking Point Rachel Zegler dazzles in Jamie Lloyd's 'radically reconceived' revival – but the plot is difficult to follow
-
Netflix and the second screen phenomenon
In The Spotlight Programme makers claim they're being asked to cater for distracted viewers
-
How would the Trump administration denaturalize immigrant citizens?
Today's Big Question Using civil courts lowers the burden of proof
-
'Trucking is a dangerous business'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Trump sues LA over immigration policies
Speed Read He is suing over the city's sanctuary law, claiming it prevents local law enforcement from cooperating with federal immigration authorities
-
Obama, Bush and Bono eulogize USAID on final day
Speed Read The US Agency for International Development, a humanitarian organization, has been gutted by the Trump administration
-
Senate advances GOP bill that costs more, cuts more
Speed Read The bill would make giant cuts to Medicaid and food stamps, leaving 11.8 million fewer people with health coverage
-
Trump's strikes on Iran: a 'spectacular success'?
In Depth Military humiliations 'expose the brittleness' of Tehran's ageing regime, but risk reinforcing its commitment to its nuclear program
-
Will NATO countries meet their new spending goal?
today's big question The cost of keeping Trump happy
-
Canadian man dies in ICE custody
Speed Read A Canadian citizen with permanent US residency died at a federal detention center in Miami