Photo: Dennis Van Tine/STAR MAX/AP
Donald Trumpspent the weekend before his historic indictment much like any other weekend, with sources telling PEOPLE the former president was seen golfing and greeting supporters at his private, members-only Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach. And despite the former president posting on social media that he would be “arrested” weeks ago, the news of the indictment still came as something of a shock, say sources.
“Trump was shocked and furious when he first heard the news of his indictment Thursday,” a political source tells PEOPLE. “He wasn’t expecting it now, or maybe ever.”
Though golf is something of a daily ritual for the 76-year-old former president, he wasn’t seen at the links on Friday. By Saturday, though, sources say Trump was back to his routine, teeing off at Trump International Golf Club in West Palm Beach.
After lunch, Trump was seen having lunch at the club with a few of its members, who were seated next to a table full of blonde “Trumpettes” — an organized group ofhigh society typeswho often express adoration for the former president.
On Sunday, he played golf again, though the typically festive atmosphere at Mar-a-Lago was notably less so in the wake of the indictment. According to a source, planned weekend activities at the club were canceled as the former president met with his defense team ahead of what will be an historic week.
Still, Florida supporters of the former president have continued to show their support, both in and outside of Mar-a-Lago.
Reports indicate the former president could be indictedon roughly 30 counts, and may be fingerprinted and potentially have his mug shot taken.
At least some of the charges are believed to stem from an alleged $130,000 hush money payment being documented as “legal expenses” in the financial records of the Trump Organization.
Last Thursday, a Manhattan grand jury voted to indict the 76-year-old former president, according toThe New York Times,CNNandABC Newssources.
The indictment stems from analleged affairTrump had with adult film starStormy Daniels, rumors of whichsurfaced in 2018, when theWall Street Journalreported that the then-president hadarranged a $130,000 paymentto the ex-porn star a month before the 2016 election so she’d keep quiet about an alleged sexual encounter they’d had years earlier.
While Trump and his longtime lawyerMichael Coheninitially denied the claims of an affair, Cohen later admitted that there was a payment made to the porn star.
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Calling it “a private transaction,“Cohen toldThe New York Timesthat he paid Daniels $130,000 out of his own pocket in 2016. He said Trump had not reimbursed him.
Trump has since admitted he authorized the $130,000 payment, but has continued to deny the underlying claims that the two had an affair or that the payment was in any way connected to his campaign.
On Tuesday, the full scale of the charges may be made public, as the indictment is expected to be unsealed. For Team Trump, the courtroom drama may not change much.
“They think it’s a political witch hunt and nothing will change their minds,” a social source says. “Even though nobody knows what is in the sealed indictment, their minds are made up.”
source: people.com
