Trump promises revenge on ‘Crooked Joe Biden’ for ‘concocted’ criminal charges with 2024 victory

Former president says charges ‘concocted’ to force him to defend himself during 2024 election cycle

In his latest Truth Social post, just hours before he appears in court for his third arraignment, Donald Trump has vowed revenge for being criminally charged during the 2024 campaign.

The former president hit out at “Crooked Joe Biden”, accusing him of telling his attorney general, Merrick Garland, to charge him with “as many crimes as can be concocted”, forcing him to spend large amounts of time and money to defend himself.

Mr Trump claims this is a Democrat tactic as the party does not want to go head-to-head with him in the 2024 election reasoning that they otherwise “would not be doing this unprecedented weaponization of ‘Justice’”.

He then adds: “BUT SOON, IN 2024, IT WILL BE OUR TURN. MAGA!”

The full post reads: “Look, it’s not my fault that my political opponent in the Democrat Party, Crooked Joe Biden, has told his Attorney General to charge the leading (by far!) Republican Nominee & former President of the United States, me, with as many crimes as can be concocted so that he is forced to spend large amounts of time & money to defend himself.”

It continues: “The Dems don’t want to run against me or they would not be doing this unprecedented weaponization of “Justice.” BUT SOON, IN 2024, IT WILL BE OUR TURN. MAGA!”

Mr Trump was indicted on four charges stemming from a Department of Justice investigation into his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election and the subsequent January 6 attack on the Capitol earlier this week

Trump indictment – live: Trump posts ominous video as court arraignment nears for 2020 election charges

The ex-president argues the indictment is politically motivated and an attorney for Mr Trump accused the DoJ of having “criminalised” Mr Trump’s First Amendment right to free speech.

There is wide disagreement with this assessment, notably from Mr Trump’s attorney general from his own administration, Bill Barr.

“As the indictment says, they’re not attacking his First Amendment right, he can say whatever he wants he can even lie, he can even tell people that ‘the election was stolen’ when he knew better but that does not protect you from entering into a conspiracy,” Mr Barr said on CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins.

He added: “Free speech doesn’t give you the right to engage in a fraudulent conspiracy.”

Mr Trump apparently feels bullish ahead of his third indictment posting on Thursday lunchtime on Truth Social: “I NEED ONE MORE INDICTMENT TO ENSURE MY ELECTION!”

One more indictment is indeed expected concerning Mr Trump’s alleged interference in the 2020 election in Fulton County, Georgia.

A grand jury there was convened by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, and a decision is expected sometime this month as to whether to indict the former president.

It is unclear how all these various criminal proceedings will fit into the calendar during the 2024 primaries and election.

Nevertheless, each indictment has led to something of a boom in fundraising for the Trump 2024 campaign as the former president and his allies continue to push the line that the charges against him are politically motivated.