Former President Donald Trump was energized by reports he would not be indicted this week by a New York grand jury, Politico reported.
Trump was on a conference with advisors Monday when he was told he would not personally be indicted as a result of the Manhattan district attorney’s investigation into The Trump Organization and his business dealings.
"Just wait until 2024, you’ll see," Trump told his advisors, according to Politico. "This is going to hurt Sleepy Joe."
An advisor told Politico that he was given the impression Trump had been emboldened by the news. "Now he’s definitely going to run for president," the person said.
The Associated Press reported Wednesday that Trump's company and longtime finance chief Allen Weisselberg have been indicted on charges that were expected to involve alleged tax violations related to benefits the company gave to top executives, possibly including use of apartments, cars and school tuition. The charges remained sealed as of Wednesday night.
"People familiar with the case said the charges were related to allegations of unpaid taxes on benefits for Trump Organization executives," The Washington Post reported. "Trump himself is not expected to be charged this week, the people said, and no others in his orbit are expected to face imminent charges."
The Post suggested the indictments could increase the pressure on Weisselberg to testimony against Trump "in exchange for lessening his own risk, according to another person familiar with the case."
Trump, however, was strengthened by the news. A former campaign advisor told Politico the former president can promote the continued "witch hunt" against him.
"It's going to be a two-pronged message: the message for political public consumption and then the PR message against the substance of the case itself," Trump’s 2016 campaign adviser Sam Nunberg told Politico.
"He’s already talked about this being the greatest witch hunt, a continuation of the greatest witch hunt, and it will just anger his supporters."
One Trump supporter told Politico the former president remains more focused on the 2020 election results than on the Manhattan D.A.'s investigation.
"His world is seriously consumed by that," the advisor told Politico. "In comparison to election fraud, [the investigation] is not even close."
The advisor added that Trump hopes more states will follow Arizona if the Grand Canyon State’s election audit ends up in his favor.
On Wednesday, Trump was focused on the immigration crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border.
He and Gov. Greg Abbott, R-Texas, visited the southern border near McAllen, Texas.
In an exclusive one-on-one interview on "Stinchfield," the former president said Biden administration border officials were grossly incompetent on the crisis they have created.
"We used to think they wanted open borders, but now I realize they can't because who would want that unless they are really dumb people?" Trump told Newsmax's Emerald Robinson.
"And they're not dumb people. Vicious people, but not they're not dumb people. And now I think it's just gross incompetence. I really do. I believe it's gross incompetence."
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