Donald Trump‘s famously dubbed ‘Trump Force One’ airplane appeared to receive maintenance Wednesday morning in possible preparations for the ex-president to take flight.
On Saturday the president has a rally schedule at the airport in Waco, Texas where he will land on his campaign plane and deliver remarks right after disembarking – like he has done many times in the past at other airports.
But he may need to follow-up that campaign stop with a trip to his former residence in New York City if the Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg moves forward with indicting him in the case involving hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels.
A grand jury was supposed to convene Wednesday at the New York County courthouse to reportedly hear from one final witness – but the latest report reveals that Bragg told them not to come in on Wednesday.
Trump’s Boeing 757, dubbed ‘Trump Force One’, sits outside at Palm Beach International Airport with the stairs setup and engine turbines on and spinning the morning of Monday, March 22, 2023 in West Palm Beach, Florida
It appeared that a crew was conducting maintenance of the Boeing 757 aircraft
The group arrived with boxes, bags and a ladder and appeared to be working on Trump Force One the same day
Meanwhile, all of the approximately 36,000 NYPD officers were put on high-alert and instructed to be in uniform on standby for deployment should unrest unsure over the impending indictment.
New DailyMail.com images reveal that the former president’s plane, dubbed Trump Force One, sat at Palm Beach International Airport in Florida with the stairs setup and engine turbines on and spinning.
Later, a crew arrived with bags, boxes and a ladder and appeared to be conducting maintenance on the Boeing 747 aircraft.
All eyes are on the Manhattan DA on Wednesday as Bragg prepares to hand down an indictment against Trump.
The grand jury in the case against Trump is meeting again on Wednesday in New York City as NYPD officers maintain an increased presence amid concerns of unrest should the court decide to go forward with an arrest.
Meanwhile, Trump is steering clear of the city he once called home, instead hunkering down at his Palm Beach, Florida residence at his Mar-a-Lago club.
While the indictment could come Wednesday, Trump would not appear before a judge in New York until next week, DailyMail.com has learned.
Trump primarily uses his plane to travel for campaign events with staff and press
Police are maintaining a prevalent presence in New York City on Wednesday as the country braces for an indictment against former President Donald Trump
Bags and boxes of materials are seen under Trump’s airplane parked at Palm Beach International Airport on Wednesday, March 22, 2023
‘There will be no arraignment this week,’ a source familiar with the proceedings said on Tuesday.
After formal charges are handed down, the Manhattan District Attorney’s office will reach out to Trump and his Secret Service detail to make arrangements for his surrender, according to the insider.
Trump warned over the weekend that he could be indicted as early as Tuesday, but law enforcement sources told DailyMail.com that the earliest action would likely be on Wednesday since the panel is expected to hear from another witness.
It is still unclear who this witness may be.
While police are surveying the streets, members of the United State Secret Service (USSS) and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) also started moving into the city.
Officials with both agencies started setting up a so-called base camp at the Peninsula Hotel in Manhattan on Wednesday.
Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg told grand jury members not to come to the courthouse on Wednesday. Bragg arrives at his NYC office the morning of Wednesday
Trump said in a Truth Social post on Wednesday morning that the real crime would be if he does end up being charged in the hush money payment case.
At the same time, new DailyMail.com images reveal that the former president’s plane, dubbed Trump Force One, sat at Palm Beach International Airport in Florida with the stairs setup and engine turbines on and spinning.
‘Every article I read, every show I watch, even the so-called Haters say that ‘President Trump did nothing wrong, there IS NO CRIME HERE!’ Trump wrote in his online post. ‘As Biden would say, ‘No, I mean it, I’m not kidding.’
‘The Crime would be if I get charged!!!’
NYPD remains on high alert after all 36,000 officers were instructed to be in uniform and on standby for deployment.
Washington, D.C.’s Metro Police Department is also bracing for unrest – hoping to avoid another January 6-like event if the former president is indicted.
Members of the US Secret Service and Department of Homeland Security started setting up base camp at the Peninsula Hotel in Manhattan on Wednesday amid threats and preparations for the former president to be arraigned if he is indicted
A New York State Courts Officer sets up a barricade outside the DA’s office on Wednesday morning as protests are expected to continue in NYC
A member of NYPD with a police dog performs a search outside the Manhattan Criminal Court on Wednesday morning before protesters arrive. The search comes after multiple threats, including a bomb threat, were made via 9-1-1 call on Tuesday
Trump continues to deny the substance of the allegations of a sexual relationship with porn star Stormy Daniels – his lawyer called the $130,000 hush money a ‘nuisance payment’ that wealthy or famous people sometimes use to make a distracting situation disappear
As Trump prepares for his first potential indictment, another case against him is heating up in Washington, D.C., where the judge overseeing the Mar-a-Lago classified documents inquiry ruled that a lawyer for the former president should be forced to appear before the grand jury.
D.C. District Court Judge Beryl Howell ruled on Tuesday that Trump may have intentionally hidden the existence of even more classified records at Mar-a-Lago from his lawyer Evan Corcoran.
Corcoran appeared before the grand jury in January, and repeatedly used attorney-client privilege as the reason for not answering their questions. But now, ABC News and CNN confirmed that Corcoran should return before the panel.
The Trump team was required to submit a briefing on Tuesday evening , with the Justice Department’s response due by 6 a.m. on Wednesday morning.
Trump allegedly paid Daniels $130,000 in the midst of the 2016 presidential campaign instructing her to stay quiet about their affair, with sources telling DailyMail.com that his goal was to make sure it didn’t get back to his wife Melania.
The Wall Street Journal first reported the existence of the payment on January 12, 2018 – just one year into Trump’s presidency. The ex-president’s personal attorney at the time, Michael Cohen, released a statement a month later acknowledging the payment for the first time.
Bragg’s arrival at his offices Wednesday morning were closely overseen by security for the courts and NYPD. Shortly after coming into work and preparing for the grand jury convening, Trump posted to social media that Bragg is a ‘rogue prosecutor’ who should be focusing on spiking crime in New York.
‘The Rogue prosecutor, who is having a hard time with the Grand Jury, especially after the powerful testimony against him by Felon Cohen’s highly respected former lawyer, is attempting to build a case that has NEVER BEEN BROUGHT BEFORE AND ACTUALLY, CAN’T BE BROUGHT,’ Trump wrote.
He added: ‘If he spent this time, effort, and money on fighting VIOLENT CRIME, which is destroying NYC, our once beautiful and safe Manhattan, which has become an absolute HELLHOLE, would be a much better place to live!’
Trump is remaining hunkered down at his Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach, Florida. Supporters have gathered outside the club this week at the encouragement of the ex-president for them to protest a potential indictment
Trump supporters and haters flooded streets in New York City and around Mar-a-Lago this week arguing for or against his imprisonment.
Supporters gathered outside Trump Tower in Manhattan and along the road leading to Trump’s Florida residence on Monday and Tuesday after the former president urged his loyal base in a Truth Social post to ‘protest, protest, protest’ his potential imminent indictment.
Some began to worry that this social media post would lead to political violence and another scene like what happened at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021.
Police took to the streets in NYC again early on Wednesday morning, preparing for the worst should Trump be indicted or arrested.
Outside the Manhattan courthouse were also stationed counter protesters, demanding that Trump be arrested and put behind bars.
Trump posted to his Truth Social platform on Tuesday night a report from Fox News claiming, ‘Sources say there’s real chance DA may choose not to charge Trump as rumors swirl.’
Police presence Wednesday morning included using dogs to sweep the area – likely to sniff for bombs and other nefarious items – after the New York courts were flooded with threats earlier this week.
A bomb threat made via a 9-1-1 call on Tuesday shut down the Manhattan civil courthouse Tuesday morning and put proceedings on hold, according to a court spokesperson.
The threat delayed the start of a New York attorney general hearing in a separate case involving Trump and his company allegedly engaging in a yearslong fraud scheme.
