Law enforcement agencies are developing a strategy for securing Manhattan Criminal Court should former President Donald Trump be indicted next week, according to NBC News.
Three sources told the New York Post earlier in the week that should an indictment be sought over alleged hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels, events could unfold as soon as next week.
Trump has denied an affair with Daniels and branded the ongoing probe the latest political witch hunt against him.
As reported by the Post on Friday in its account of the prepwork, local, state, and federal authorities are saying police and security agencies are all actively at work ahead of the potential indictment, trying to anticipate high emotions and heated reactions.
Such a development would, of course, be monumental: As the Post noted, possible counts out of Manhattan Criminal Court "would make Trump the first current or former president in U.S. history to face criminal charges."
Multiple outlets have reported on hints from prosecutors that the former president is likely to face criminal charges over the Daniels payment claims. For her part, Daniels met with Manhattan prosecutors Wednesday.
Several sources have reportedly told NBC that multi-agency meetings are precautionary only, and should not be seen as proof that a Trump indictment is a done deal, the Post said.
The Post also listed agencies taking part in the conversations: the NYPD, New York State Court Officers, the Secret Service, the FBI, and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office.
Any charges levied against Trump would be rooted in evidence that his onetime "fixer," Michael Cohen, paid the adult film star hush money toward the tail end of the 2016 presidential race to hold her tongue on an alleged affair with Trump decades earlier.
Cohen has said he made a $130,000 payment on Trump’s behalf. He pleaded guilty five years ago to violations of several finance laws and, according to the Post, is now a significant prosecution witness.
Trump is currently prepping a 2024 campaign for the White House.