By Athena Papakosta

All the lights are on the former American president, Donald Trump. A Manhattan grand jury decided last Thursday to indict him.

The 45th president of the United States will today stand before the prosecution in order to be read the indictment which for now remains well sealed.

New York in the last 24 hours has been on the move. 35,000 police officers are on foot while metal fences have been erected around Trump Tower. Roads have also been blocked with the mobilization of secret services being, at the same time, huge.

Images broadcast live on US and international networks resembled the transport of a sitting US president rather than a former one facing criminal charges.

The former US president left his Florida residence yesterday in a motorcade to board the red, white and blue Boeing 757 with his name emblazoned in gold letters. On the way to Palm Beach International Airport, his supporters held banners, chanted slogans and decried the decision against him.

When Donald Trump arrived in New York he stepped off his plane alone and headed straight for a black SUV that was waiting for him. He wore his familiar blue suit combined with a white shirt and a red tie. Small groups of supporters lined his route to Manhattan, where he built his career as a real estate developer and reality TV host.

A new chapter opens in the country’s history. No other US president has been charged with a criminal offense and for American citizens this is the first time a US president is expected to be brought to justice.

The indictment reportedly includes more than 30 counts and at least one felony count related to the financing of … the silence of adult movie star Stormy Daniels just before the 2016 presidential election.

The Trump camp as well as the former president of the United States himself are betting that this case will strengthen his chances of winning the battle for the White House in the presidential elections in 2024. In fact, efforts are being made to make the indictment part of or even the his election campaign.

He had already informed us since Sunday through his Social Network, Truth Social, about his judicial program. While from the first moment of the decision one email succeeded the other for the collection of money and now it is known that seven million dollars have been collected in four days.

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In this “logic” Donald Trump himself immediately after his return to Mar-a-Lago, Florida – and while he will now have been charged, photographed and given his fingerprints – will also in statements. After all, he loves the attention of the Media, the microphones, the lights and the cameras.

The former American president has already spoken of a “witch hunt”, has denounced “political persecution”, has consistently declared his “innocence” and ruled out having a “fair trial” in New York, a stronghold of the Democrats. The president of the United States, Joe Biden, has also been targeted, stressing that this case will be at the expense of his successor in the presidency of the country and possibly his opponent in the next election.

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His legal adventure begins in his hometown but his new election campaign is already underway and his arrest will, according to analysts, give breath and momentum to his election rallies and speeches that until now seemed repetitive. According to the measurements, Trump is increasing his percentages and is ahead of DeSandis, who has not yet officially announced his candidacy (source: YouGov) for the Republican nomination and also of Biden (source: Harvard CAPs/Harris).