Trump’s words will be used against him, Glenn Kirschner warns

According to legal analyst Glenn Kirschner, former President Donald Trump’s social media statements about his possible imminent arrest could serve as evidence against him in future criminal trials.

On Friday night, Trump took to his social media platform Truth Social and claimed to have heard he would be arrested Tuesday in connection with the Manhattan District Attorney’s investigation into him. District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s investigation is reportedly nearing a criminal indictment against the former president over a hush-money scheme he allegedly orchestrated in 2016. His office has invited the former president to testify before a grand jury and has reportedly been in touch with law enforcement about what a Trump arrest could lead to.

In office, Trump condemned Bragg’s office as “CORRUPT & HIGHLY POLITICAL” and encouraged his supporters to “PROTEST” and “TAKE BACK OUR NATION” if he was arrested on Tuesday.

Kirschner, a former federal prosecutor with a 30-year career who is now known for his analysis of Trump’s various legal cases, appeared on MSNBC shortly after the former president made the social media posts to discuss the situation. Kirschner, an outspoken critic of Trump, accused the posts of encouraging violence similar to his rhetoric in the run-up to the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riots, and suggested they could become further evidence against him in the future.

“I would put a government exhibits sticker on that post and put it up at his criminal trial,” Kirschner told host Katie Phang. “And this is a dark moment in our nation’s history. Because what we just saw is basically, ‘Come to DC on January 6th. Will be wild 2.0.’ And I’m sorry to say that for months I’ve been saying on air and online that the moment Donald Trump knows he’s being charged, his first post is “Come to Manhattan” or “Come to Georgia for my charge will be ‘.'”

In an email statement to news weekTrump’s communications team downplayed the notion that there had been official notification of his impending arrest while denouncing the legitimacy of the investigation and claiming Trump will be in Texas for a rally next weekend.

“There has been no notification, aside from illegal leaks from the Justice Department and the Attorney’s Office, to NBC and other fake news networks that the George Soros-funded prosecutor for Manhattan’s radical left Democrats has decided to take his witch hunt to the next level ‘ said a Trump spokesman news week. “President Trump rightly asserts his innocence and arming our injustice system. He’ll be in Texas for a huge rally next weekend.”

The allegations Trump may face in Manhattan come after allegations he orchestrated a plan to pay adult film star Stormy Daniels “hush money” in exchange for her keeping quiet about an affair between them. Trump and his officials have variously claimed in the past that there was no affair and that the former president was being blackmailed and that the payment was made to avoid personal embarrassment rather than concern for its impact on his 2016 presidential campaign .

Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen previously pleaded guilty to his involvement in the plan and is serving a prison sentence. He claimed to have acted at the behest of Trump himself.

Meanwhile, Trump has previously claimed he will continue his presidential campaign in 2024 even if he faces criminal charges. Only a conviction for treason or insurrection would legally bar him from holding elected office.

Updated 3/18/2023 6:50 PM ET: Added comment from Trump spokesman.