Donald Trump wants to be handcuffed when he appears in court: Report

Former US President Donald Trump has reportedly told his advisors that he wants to be in handcuffs when he appears in court if he is indicted, in a case of paying hush money to adult movie star Stormy Daniels. Trump’s rationale was that he might as well turn everything into a “spectacle” since he would have to go to the court and surrender for fingerprinting and a mug shot, British publication The Guardian reported citing sources.

Sources also said that Trump wants to be handcuffed so can be defiant in face of an “unfair prosecution” and that it would make his base for the 2024 presidential campaign stronger. They further mentioned he was perturbed that special arrangements will make him appear like a loser. These arrangements included appearing in the court via video link and sitting quietly and secretly in the courtroom.

People close to the former US President are, however, unsure whether he is serious about being handcuffed and doing a perp walk. They are also diffident about if he understands the seriousness of an indictment since he appeared disconnected at times from the investigation in the case.

Citing potential security concerns, his legal team also suggested that he should quietly turn himself in next week and schedule a remote appearance. Trump rejected that suggestion saying he does not care if he gets shot at since he would become “a martyr”. He further added that he will likely win the US presidency in 2024 if he gets shot.

Furthermore, sources stated he is focusing more on projecting an image of defiance against the prosecution when he eventually figures out his response to the case. They added he does not fear being slapped with criminal charges. He also believes that an indictment could prove to be a boon for him since it would enrage the Make America Great Again (MAGA) fanbase and force Republican party to come together to defend him.

Trump is not the only one who believes that an indictment would better his electoral fortunes. Twitter CEO and the world's second richest person Elon Musk said while replying to a user that the firebrand Republican leader could secure a landslide victory if he gets arrested. A Twitter user Viva Frei asked Musk could Trump's arrest spell his doom.

Frei shared a news report wrote, "If this happens, it will be the beginning of Trump's reelection." Replying to this, Musk said, "If this happens, Trump will be re-elected in a landslide victory."

What is the hush money case against Donald Trump?

Known as the “hush money case”, the case is about Trump paying Stormi Daniels an amount of $130,000 through his former lawyer Micheal Cohen in the final days of his 2016 campaign. Later, the former President reimbursed Cohen with $35,000 checks from his own personal funds.

Also read: US attorney, who is likely to arrest Donald Trump, got funding from George Soros: Report

Also read: 'If arrested, Donald Trump will...': Elon Musk's BIG prediction ahead of 2024 polls