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."
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
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.
-
Scientists want to fight malaria by poisoning mosquitoes with human blood
Under the radar Drugging the bugs
By Devika Rao, The Week US Published
-
Crossword: March 31, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
By The Week Staff Published
-
Sudoku medium: March 31, 2025
The Week's daily medium sudoku puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Why does Donald Trump want Greenland?
The Explainer Trump is not the only US president who has tried to gain control of Greenland
By The Week UK Published
-
What dangers does the leaked Signal chat expose the US to?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION The White House's ballooning group chat scandal offered a masterclass in what not to say when prying eyes might be watching
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Supreme Court upholds 'ghost gun' restrictions
Speed Read Ghost guns can be regulated like other firearms
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Trump sets 25% tariffs on auto imports
Speed Read The White House says the move will increase domestic manufacturing. But the steep import taxes could also harm the US auto industry.
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Trump allies urge White House to admit chat blunder
Speed Read Even pro-Trump figures are criticizing The White House's handling of the Signal scandal
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
'Even authoritarian regimes need a measure of public support — the consent of at least some of the governed'
instant opinion 'Opinion, comment and editorials of the day'
By Anya Jaremko-Greenwold, The Week US Published
-
Waltz takes blame for texts amid calls for Hegseth ouster
Speed Read Democrats are calling for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and national security adviser Michael Waltz to step down
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
USPS Postmaster General DeJoy steps down
Speed Read Louis DeJoy faced ongoing pressure from the Trump administration as they continue to seek power over the postal system
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published