Donald Trump has issued a message of thanks to his followers, saying he has never known such support. The former President referenced unprecedented and historic events on his Truth Social media account and expressed shock that a successful and popular President could be indicted on criminal and federal charges. Mr. Trump added that he is the leading Republican candidate, which is why he faces persecution by federal institutions that lean in favor of the Democrats.
The former President concluded, “America is a nation in decline, but we will make it great again, greater than ever before.”
Trump was indicted for the third time on August 3 in Washington, DC. The indictment covered four counts related to the events of January 6, 2021, when rioters broke into Capitol buildings following a speech from Trump in which he stated forcefully that the 2020 Presidential election had been rigged.
He denied wrongdoing on all counts. Previously, he has pleaded not guilty to a separate set of federal charges related to classified documents found during an FBI raid on his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida last August. Prior to that, he was charged in a criminal indictment in New York City by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg. Those charges relate to a payment made by his former lawyer Michael Cohen to adult actress Stormy Daniels in exchange for her silence about an alleged affair with Mr. Trump.
Despite it all, Trump remains the frontrunner in the race for the GOP nomination and is expected to be the party’s candidate in the 2024 Presidential election. In previous polls and surveys, around half of Republicans said they believe Trump is the subject of persecution by the Department of Justice, the FBI, and other federal agencies that are politically biased toward the Democrats and against conservatives.
In early August, polls after the latest indictment showed Trump’s popularity and favorability remaining stable at around 40%. A recent Morning Consult poll places him at 47% in the GOP race.
