Trump says he is 'a completely innocent person,' calls indictment 'unthinkable'
Former President Donald Trump reacted to becoming the first ex-president in U.S. history to be indicted by going on his social media platform Truth Social and blasting the "Thugs and Radical Left Monsters" he said are responsible.
In all caps, Trump asserted that "THIS IS AN ATTACK ON OUR COUNTRY THE LIKES OF WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE ... A NATION IN SERIOUS DECLINE. SO SAD!" In a separate statement, Trump called the Manhattan district attorney's investigation "political Persecution and Election Interference at the highest level in history." He accused Democrats of continuously trying to "Get Trump," adding, "now they've done the unthinkable. Indicting a completely innocent person."
Trump's adult sons, Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump, also commented, with Trump Jr. stating on his podcast that "this is stuff that would make Mao, Stalin, Pol Pot, it would make them blush." On Twitter, his brother accused the Manhattan District Attorney's office of "third world prosecutorial misconduct."
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.
The specific charges against Trump are not yet known. A spokesperson for the Manhattan District Attorney's Office said Trump's attorney was contacted on Thursday afternoon to coordinate the former president's surrender to the DA's office for arraignment on the indictment, which remains under seal. Chris Kise, Trump's lawyer, called the indictment "the lowest point in history for our criminal justice system," and accused the district attorney of trying to "cash in on the Trump brand."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
-
Spiralism is the new cult AI users are falling intoUnder the radar Technology is taking a turn
-
Can for-profit geoengineering put a pause on climate change?In the Spotlight Stardust Solutions wants to dim the sun. Scientists are worried.
-
Sudoku medium: November 25, 2025The daily medium sudoku puzzle from The Week
-
Tariffs: Will Trump’s reversal lower prices?Feature Retailers may not pass on the savings from tariff reductions to consumers
-
Trump: Is he losing control of MAGA?Feature We may be seeing the ‘first meaningful right-wing rebellion against autocracy of this era’
-
Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein: a TimelineIN DEPTH The alleged relationship between deceased sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein and Donald Trump has become one of the most acute threats to the president’s power
-
Why is Donald Trump suddenly interested in Sudan?Today's Big Question A push from Saudi Arabia’s crown prince helped
-
US government shutdown: why the Democrats ‘caved’In the Spotlight The recent stalemate in Congress could soon be ‘overshadowed by more enduring public perceptions’
-
‘The issue isn’t talent but moral guidance’Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Judge halts Trump’s DC Guard deploymentSpeed Read The Trump administration has ‘infringed upon the District’s right to govern itself,’ the judge ruled
-
Trump accuses Democrats of sedition meriting ‘death’Speed Read The president called for Democratic lawmakers to be arrested for urging the military to refuse illegal orders
