On the eve of his court hearing on allegations of attempting to overturn his 2020 election setback, former US President Donald Trump has lashed out at prosecutors.
The “unprecedented indictment” demonstrates the “corruption, scandal, & failure” of the US during Joe Biden’s presidency, he posted on social media.
Security is being beefed up in Washington, DC for Thursday’s hearing.
Mr. Trump is already facing two other criminal charges as he campaigns for President next year.
However, the election case he was charged with on Tuesday is largely seen as the most serious of them.
Mr Trump, who was at his Bedminster, New Jersey, golf club at the time, praised his supporters in an all-capital-letters post on his Truth Social platform on Wednesday, saying, “I never had so much support on anything before.”
In other posts, he criticised competing Republican presidential candidates, including his former Vice President Mike Pence and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
He reiterated his claim that Mr Pence lacked the legal authority to prevent Congress from certifying Mr Biden’s election victory on January 6, 2021, hearings that were disrupted by Trump supporters rioting at the US Capitol.
Mr Trump, 77, is scheduled to appear in person in a federal courthouse in Washington DC on Thursday at 16:00 EDT (20:00 GMT).
He has only visited the city once since leaving the White House. On Wednesday evening, a queue had already formed outside the building.
He is charged with four counts, including conspiracy to defraud the United States, interfering with a witness, and conspiracy to violate people’ rights.
Mr. Trump’s lawyers have hinted at their defence plan.
On NBC’s Today show on Wednesday, attorney John Lauro stated that he expected to argue that Mr Trump was protected by the First Amendment’s right to free expression.
“[The indictment] criminalises speech,” Mr Lauro added.
Mr Trump’s legal team is also opposing the prosecution’ wish for a swift trial, claiming that they need time to prepare their client’s case.
A spokeswoman for the US Marshals Service, a federal law enforcement agency that guards courts, told Reuters that Mr Trump will be fingerprinted and asked for basic information such as his date of birth and Social Security ID number.
Hearings for many other suspects accused of participating in the US Capitol disturbance have been rescheduled until Thursday.
Prior to Mr. Trump’s visit, federal agencies and local police have increased security in the nation’s capital.
The Secret Service, which protects presidents and former presidents, issued a statement warning the public of “short-term traffic implications” in central Washington, DC.
According to Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi, the agency will “ensure the highest levels of safety and security for the former president, while minimising disruptions to the normal court process.”
On Wednesday, an apparent hoax 911 call claiming an active shooting at the Capitol prompted a lockdown in three Senate office buildings and a massive police reaction.
Speaking to reporters during the alert, US Capitol Police Chief Tom Manger said the police force that faced rioters two and a half years ago was well-trained and prepared for active-shooter drills.
“We’re prepared for anything that may happen tomorrow,” he said, referring to Mr Trump’s court appearance.
Mr. Trump is currently the clear front-runner in the Republican Party’s selection of its next presidential nominee.
Congressional Republicans have rallied with him, claiming that the latest indictment demonstrates that the United States has devolved into a “banana republic” and reiterating the former president’s argument that the indictments amount to electoral interference.
Mr Pence, who has struggled to gather traction in the 2024 presidential race, insisted on Wednesday during a campaign appearance at the Indiana State Fair that he had “done his duty” on January 6, 2021.
“Unfortunately, the president was surrounded by a group of crackpot lawyers who kept telling him what his itching ears wanted to hear,” he continued. “The president eventually insisted that I choose him over the Constitution.”
The 45-page election-related accusation against Mr Trump is based in part on contemporaneous notes that Mr Pence kept of their chats in the days leading up to the US Capitol incident.
Mr Trump has previously been accused in two other cases: mishandling confidential materials and fabricating business records to conceal a hush-money payment to a porn star.
Prosecutors in Georgia may file a criminal case against Mr. Trump this month in connection with suspected efforts to sway the outcome of the 2020 election in that state.
