Ex-President Trump, in his first campaign rally ahead of next year’s presidential race, was poised to appear Saturday before a crowd of Texas boosters.
Trump planned to take the stage in the city of Waco at the afternoon event carried live on YouTube after recent social media attacks blasting Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg as a New York grand jury considers criminal charges against the former Manhattan resident.
Trump set off a tumultuous few days after inaccurately declaring authorities intended to arrest him last Tuesday on charges related to hush money paid to keep porn star Stormy Daniels quiet about their sexual encounter during the 2016 presidential race.
The jurors will return this coming week to ponder the fate of the ex-president, who aggressively went after Bragg last week — including a warning of “death and destruction” if charges were brought.
He also described Bragg as a George Soros-backed “animal,” prompting an angry response from a group of New York politicians alleging anti-Semitism. Their statement said Trump’s purpose was “intimidating and sabotaging laws a legitimate, fact-based investigation.”
Trump backer Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (R-Ga.) made similar claims about Soros prior to the former New Yorker’s rally. Hours before his address, Trump sent out an email blast asking supporters for money to help “DESTROY the Deep State.”