My arrest is only show in town, boasts Trump

Ex-president will turn himself on Friday for processing regarding his alleged attempt to overturn the 2020 election result in Georgia.

Outside Atlanta’s Fulton County Jail, where Donald Trump is due to hand himself in on Friday (AEST). Picture: AFP

Donald Trump will use his impending arrest to try to overshadow Wednesday night’s TV debate between his eight Republican rivals for the party’s presidential nomination.

The former president announced he would turn himself on Thursday (Friday AEST) for formal processing regarding his alleged attempt to overturn the 2020 election result in Georgia — the fourth set of criminal charges he is now facing. The spectacle is sure to draw media attention away from the in-depth analysis that usually follows the first debate of a presidential contest.

This debate is unlike any other, with the runaway leader in the polls not only facing 91 felony charges but also refusing to take part, and having recorded an interview that will go out in direct competition with the two-hour showdown.

Mr Trump, 77, has calculated that it is not worth the risk of appearing alongside candidates with far less support and recognition and opening himself up to their ­attacks but his absence was branded a “huge political miscalculation” by his former White House press secretary.

“You give others the opportunity to shine,” Kayleigh Mc­Enany told Fox News. “You give others two hours to throw lobs at you. Trump can dance across the debate stage, defend himself. But you’re not there to do it yourself, you’re counting on others to step in.”

Trump supporters outside the venue of the Republican candidates’ debate in Milwaukee, where their hero will be a no-show. Picture: AFP

Of the eight candidates who qualified for the stage based on polling and donations, several have been reluctant to criticise Mr Trump and one, Vivek Rama­swamy, has given a clear commitment to pardon the former president. Nikki Haley, a former South Carolina governor and ambassador, said she would be “inclined” to pardon him.

Mr Trump had until noon on Friday to present himself at Fulton County Jail for fingerprinting and probably also to have a mugshot taken in the first act of his criminal racketeering case in Atlanta. He announced on his Truth Social platform that he would go the day after the Republican debate.

“Can you believe it? I’ll be going to Atlanta to be ARRESTED by a Radical Left District Attorney, Fani Willis, who is overseeing one of the greatest Murder and Violent Crime DISASTERS in History,” he posted. “She campaigned on this WITCH HUNT. This is in strict coordination with Crooked Joe Biden’s DOJ. It is all about ELECTION INTERFERENCE!”

Mr Trump will have to make a return visit in a couple of weeks for an initial court appearance. The first of his 18 co-defendants in the Georgia trial surrendered for processing on Tuesday. He has been set the highest bail bond of all those charged, at $US200,000, with conditions including orders not to intimidate witnesses online.

He mocked the court decision, posting: “The failed District Attorney Fani Willis insisted on a dollars 200,000 Bond from me. I assume, therefore, that she thought I was a ‘flight’ risk – I’d fly far away, maybe to Russia, Russia, Russia, share a gold domed suite with Vladimir, never to be seen or heard from again.

Donald Trump has calculated it’s not worth the risk of appearing alongside candidates with far less support and recognition and opening himself up to their attacks. Picture: AFP

“Would I be able to take my very ‘understated’ airplane with the gold TRUMP affixed for all to see. Probably not, I’d be much better off flying commercial – I’m sure nobody would recognise me!”

Mr Trump’s debate snub brought criticism from Ron De­Santis, his main rival, who said: “Nobody is entitled to anything in this world, less of all the Republican nomination for president.”

Mr DeSantis told Fox News that Mr Trump “owes it to people” to take part in the democratic process. “I don’t think our voters, even people that appreciate what he did – and I’m actually one that appreciated a lot of what he did – I don’t think they’re going to look kindly on somebody that thinks they don’t have to earn it.”

While Mr DeSantis is expected to take a few blows as the highest-polling candidate on the stage, there are signs Mr Ramaswamy, 38, a biotech entrepreneur, will also be targeted after his rise to third place. Ms Haley criticised him for questioning the US relationship with Israel. “Between abandoning Israel, abolishing the FBI and giving Taiwan to China, his foreign policy proposals have a common theme,” she said. “They make America less safe.”

Mr Ramaswamy posted a video of himself playing tennis shirtless on Monday captioned: “Three hours of solid debate prep.”

Former Wimbledon champion Martina Navratilova tweeted: “That’s one ugly forehand. I especially like the small stutter steps that take Vivek nowhere. I wonder if that could be an analogy for his politics.”

Mr DeSantis and Mr Rama­swamy will appear at the centre of the debate stage, flanked by former vice-president Mike Pence, 64, and Ms Haley, 51. The outer podiums will be occupied by Chris Christie, 60, a former governor of New Jersey; Asa Hutchinson, 72, a former governor of Arkansas; Tim Scott, 57, a South Carolina senator; and Doug Burgum, 67, the governor of North Dakota.

Mr Trump singled out Mr Hutchinson for a dig on his Truth Social site on Tuesday, describing him as “too boring”, adding: “He’s at less than 1 per cent and heading south. Zero chance!”

The Times