Donald Trump is expected to be arraigned next week after the former president was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury on Thursday. The Republican leader is being investigated for his alleged involvement in the hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

Trump will be arraigned before New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan next Tuesday, his lawyer Susan Necheles told AFP in an email. The former president faces as many as 30 counts related to business fraud, CNN reported.

The arraignment will decide whether Trump should be released or taken into custody. He will likely take the stand and all charges will be presented.

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Reacting to the indictment on Thursday, Trump, in a lengthy statement on Truth Social, said that the left is “destroying to the Make America Great Again movement.”

“The Democrats have lied, cheated and stolen in their obsession with trying to ‘Get Trump,’ but now they’ve done the unthinkable — indicting a completely innocent person in an act of blatant Election Interference,” Trump said.

The indictment should not stop Trump from running for 2024. He accused Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg of “doing Joe Biden’s dirty work, ignoring the murders and burglaries and assaults he should be focused on.

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On social media, QAnon accounts started posting slogans promoting conspiracy theories. They used the phrase “trusting the plan” and “the storm is upon us,” in support of Trump. Some of them went on to say that the indictment will only help him win 2024.

Several accounts trolled Bragg and associated him with financier and Democratic megadonor George Soros, saying the latter funded the Manhattan DA’s campaign.

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Trump had earlier this month said that he expects to be arrested. He also called for protests against the New York investigation. Within hours, his campaign sent fundraising solicitations to his supporters.

On Thursday, several GOP members criticised Bragg and the investigation. Some retaliation from Trump supporters is likely, especially if the former president is arrested. However, there is no official plan, calling for protests.