FACT CHECK: No, Trump Did Not Offer To Pay The Legal Fees For Protestors
A post shared on social media purports that former President Donald Trump offered to pay legal fees for anyone that is arrested for protesting on his behalf.
Donald Trump’s latest message from Mar-a-Lago for his MAGA fans, QAnon, and the Proud Boys. pic.twitter.com/cdSQFEel5v
— The Halfway Post (@HalfwayPost) March 19, 2023
Verdict: False
The claim stems from a satirical Twitter account. There is no evidence that Trump released this statement.
Fact Check:
House Republicans have requested information regarding the Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s investigation into Trump’s alleged hush payments to former porn actress Stormy Daniels, Fox News reported. Bragg responded by saying Trump had “created a false expectation” that he would be arrested in a few days, the outlet reported.
The Twitter post purports Trump has offered to pay for any legal fees that arise for those who protest his potential indictment. The post shared a screenshot of an alleged statement with Trump’s letterhead.
“I WILL PAY ALL THE LEGAL FEES FOR EVERYONE WHO PROTESTS FOR ME ON TUESDAY IN NEW YORK WHEN I AM ARRESTED,” the alleged letter reads. “I MEAN IT THIS TIME. I WON’T FORGET OR BACK OUT LIKE ALL THE OTHER TIMES!” (RELATED: No, This Image Does Not Show A Mugshot Of Donald Trump)
There are no credible news reports that suggest Trump made this statement. The post appears to have stemmed from a satirical Twitter account. The account, The Halfway Post, self identifies as a satire. The account bio reads, “Halfway true comedy and satire by @DashMacIntyre. I don’t report the facts, I improve them.”
Furthermore, there is no press release from Trump’s office making any such statement. Trump did call for protests over the weekend when he claimed he would be arrested, telling his supporters to “take our nation back,” Reuters reported.
This is not the first time misinformation pertaining to the possible indictment of Trump has been shared online. Check Your Fact recently debunked an alleged post from Trump claiming that an indictment of him is an indictment of all.
