WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — Former President Donald Trump boarded his private jet Monday and flew from Florida to New York ahead of his scheduled impeachment and impeachment as the nation’s largest city beefed up security and warned would-be perpetrators of trouble that “It is no playground for your misplaced anger.”
Trump’s overland ride from his Mar-a-Lago club to his red, white and blue Boeing emblazoned with “TRUMP” in gold lettering was broadcast live on national television and brought supporters from past waving banners and cheering for the former president. Trump and his supporters criticize the case against him — which stems from cash payments during his 2016 campaign — as politically motivated.
The scene was quite different in New York, where Trump built a national profile in business and entertainment but became deeply unpopular when he entered politics.
His return to the city opens an unprecedented chapter in American history, with Trump becoming the first former president to face criminal charges as he is in the midst of his third campaign for the White House. It collides with major legal, political and cultural events in unprecedented ways.
The former president planned to spend the night at Trump Tower, then turn himself in to authorities Tuesday for booking and a possible arraignment in the afternoon. So far, officials have not seen an influx of people arriving in the city, as was the case in Washington in the days leading up to the January 6, 2021 riot.
However, authorities have warned that it is a crime to possess a gun in some areas of the city, including near courthouses.
“While there may be some rioters tomorrow who believe they will come to our city, our message is clear and simple: control yourselves,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams. “New York City is our home, not a playground for your misplaced rage. We are the safest big city in America because we uphold the rule of law in New York City.”
Trump Tower was open Monday, but authorities planned to close nearby streets as Trump came and went, and there were additional security measures. They moved to lock down and secure the courtroom where the former president is expected to appear for a hearing Tuesday afternoon.
Trump’s supporters, including one of his staunchest defenders in Congress, Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, have scheduled a rally in New York late Tuesday morning, likely before Trump appears before a judge during the trial . Adams took the unusual step of calling out the congresswoman by name.
“While we don’t have specific threats, people like Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is known for spreading misinformation and hate speech, has said she’s coming to town,” Adams said. “While you’re in town, you’re on your best behavior.”
The former president and his associates enthusiastically embrace the expected media circus. After initially being surprised by news of the impeachment when it broke Thursday night, Trump and his team have focused on using what they call a weak case against Trump to their advantage.
More than 1,200 miles away in Florida, pro-Trump protesters began gathering before dawn at a West Palm Beach mall en route to the airport, hours before he was due to cross the road.
Boca Raton firefighter Erik Solensten and his retired firefighter John Fischer started putting up signs early. One was 30 feet by 6 feet (9 by 2 meters), depicting police officers and firefighters saying: “Thank you for supporting us, President Trump.”
“We are firefighters. We’re ready and we don’t like to wait for things to happen,” said Solensten, who took the day off to show support for Trump. “He needs morals like everyone else needs morals. He has done more for this country than 10 presidents combined.”
Trump faces multiple counts of falsifying corporate documents, including at least one felony, in the indictment handed down by a Manhattan grand jury last week. The investigation looks into six-figure payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal.
Both say they had sexual encounters with the married Trump years before he entered politics. Trump denies having sex with both women and has denied any wrongdoing in the payments, saying the case against him is politically motivated.
No former president has ever been indicted, and Trump’s active campaign for president during next year’s election only raises the political stakes. Trump spent the weekend playing golf and meeting with aides, but his campaign says he has raised more than $5 million since the indictment emerged. A fundraising email from Trump on Monday had the subject line: “I’ll be arrested tomorrow.”
Top Republicans, including some of Trump’s potential rivals in next year’s GOP presidential primaries, have condemned the case against him. President Joe Biden and Democratic leaders had little to say about it.
Solensten said it was wrong for Trump to be charged with a crime stemming from an alleged encounter with a porn star long before he was in office. He said investigators should instead look into Biden’s son, Hunter, and his activities, which Republican-controlled House committees have already begun looking into.
“To me, those acts are treasonous,” Solensten said of Biden. “But it’s a race.”
Weissert reported from Washington. Associated Press writers Jill Colvin, Bobby Caina Calvan and Julie Walker contributed to this report from New York.
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