The Manhattan grand jury weighing an indictment against former President Donald Trump has reportedly scheduled testimony from another witness on Wednesday, pushing off any decision and delaying a potential indictment against the 45th president, despite Trump's speculation about his own indictment and arrest "on Tuesday."
According to a report from Fox News, citing a source in law enforcement, authorities now don't expect a potential arraignment for Trump, if he is indicted, until next week due to testimony from the additional witness whose identity remains unknown.
The reported delay for a decision from the grand jury comes after NYPD ordered its officers to wear full uniforms on Tuesday and continued ramping up its security preparations, as Leah reported on Tuesday.
All NYPD officers — including plainclothes detectives — have been ordered to wear their full uniform tomorrow beginning at 7am ahead of a possible indictment of former President Donald Trump, a police source tells @CBSNews @PatMilton14.
— Nicole Sganga (@NicoleSganga) March 20, 2023
If the former president is indicted and arraigned, Trump will appear in-person in Manhattan because appearing for a "virtual arraignment" has already been "ruled out," according to Fox News' reporting.
With Trump potentially heading to New York, and as Townhall covered previously, authorities in the city have been coordinating more stringent security and increase police presence around the courthouse and Trump Tower. Leah reported late last week that "security assessments are being made around the Manhattan Criminal Court in the event an indictment comes as early as next week, with NYPD, New York State Court Officers, U.S. Secret Service, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, and the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office all involved in planning and discussions."
Over the weekend, Trump called for his supporters to "protest, protest, protest" in a post on Truth Social over what he expected to be an indictment and arrest "on Tuesday." The former president posted a video late Monday night in which he said investigations targeting him have "gone on forever with Russia, Russia, Russia, Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine, and the Mueller hoax," adding "it's an absolute disgrace what's going on."
Already, even without any news regarding the grand jury's decision, supporters of the former president gathered outside his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach, Florida, where Townhall's Julio Rosas has been staked out on Tuesday.
Trump supporters are rallying near Mar-a-Lago as we wait to see if Trump is indicted. pic.twitter.com/AfXJ4aVzgO
— Julio Rosas (@Julio_Rosas11) March 21, 2023
The wait for a decision will now apparently continue as the grand jury reportedly considers new testimony from at least one additional witness in a case dealing with a so-called "hush money" payment made to Stormy Daniels on Trump's behalf during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Republican officials and conservative leaders have spoken out, both in support of the former president-turned-2024 candidate and against Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg for his politically motivated prosecution based on "legally pathetic" grounds.
This is a developing story and may be updated.
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