'A nightmare for Secret Service': Trump is hoping for 'kind of a Jesus Christ thing' with perp walk spectacle
Former President Donald Trump is hoping his arraignment on Tuesday will be “kind of a Jesus Christ thing” as he plans to turn himself in during daylight hours at the Manhattan courthouse, Rolling Stone reports.
According to a law enforcement official involved in security planning for the high-profile booking, Trump declined an option for a Zoom arraignment even as his Secret Service detail “argued in favor of holding the proceedings outside of court business hours, at night with minimal cameras and less risk.”
“He wanted a perp walk, he wanted daylight hours,” the law enforcement official told Rolling Stone. “He wants to get out of the vehicle and walk up the stairs.”
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“This is a nightmare for Secret Service," the law enforcement source added. “But they can only strongly suggest — not order — that Trump enter through the secure tunnels.”
A source “close to” the former president’s legal team said Trump is hoping to show his supporters that he’s “absorbing all this pain from all around from everywhere so you don’t have to.”
“It’s kind of a Jesus Christ thing,” the legal team source said, describing it as “a powerful message” that tells the public “if they can do this to me they can do this to you.”
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Trump is scheduled to be arraigned at 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday, and a Secret Service spokesman confirmed the agency has “been meeting with NYPD and state court officers for the last couple of weeks regarding safety and security concerns for the courthouse, areas around the courthouse, and the appearance of the former president.” He will be fingerprinted and likely have his mugshot taken, but will not be placed in handcuffs.
“It will be a s***show” the law enforcement official told Rolling Stone.
Read the full report at Rolling Stone.
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