When news broke that a grand jury in Manhattan had voted to indict former President Donald Trump, his team was on hand with a massive messaging campaign.
Within minutes, a fundraising committee broadcast the first conviction.
And sons Don Jr and Eric were livecasting, tweeting and calling friendly media sources.
A fundraiser followed soon after, as his campaign sought to capitalize on anger that for the first time in history a former president would be arrested and charged.
“We had a plan and the plan was executed,” says a source familiar with the schedule. “Take out surrogates, take out content.
“If you look at our war room and team Trump Twitter accounts, they’re all pushing relevant content.”
On Saturday night, former President Donald Trump told reporters on his plane that he believed the case against him was being dropped by the Manhattan District Attorney.
When news of the indictment broke, Trump’s team had a messaging plan ready
However, not everything was quite as expected. Insiders admitted they were surprised.
Trump’s attorney told Fox News that they learned of the charges from the New York Times.
“We’re always the last to know…always,” Joseph Tacopina said. “The New York Times told us today that he has been charged and we have received confirmation from the prosecution.”
Last week, the grand jury investigating alleged business fraud related to a $130,000 hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels appeared to slow down.
This week it appeared it wouldn’t sit for a month, prompting Trump allies to say the Manhattan district attorney was preparing to quietly suspend the case.
Trump himself claimed that on Saturday evening.
“I think they’ve already dropped the case. From what I understand…I think it was dropped,” he told a small group of reporters aboard his private jet, including DailyMail.com, as he flew back from a meeting in Waco, Texas.
“But I believe if anything ever happened to the case, it’s a bogus case.”
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg leaves his office in Manhattan, New York, after a grand jury votes to indict former President Donald Trump. March 30, 2023
A grand jury has heard evidence of allegations Donald Trump paid $130,000 to adult film star Stormy Daniels to buy her silence on their affair
He cut a relaxed figure and scoffed at any idea that he was frustrated or distracted by legal woes.
And he continued his regular routine at Mar-a-Lago, playing golf at his club about 15 minutes away on Wednesday.
He returned on Thursday, although he only managed to score nine holes.
The 76-year-old did not stay for lunch, even though his usual table was reserved.
Instead, he returned to Mar-a-Lago, where he spent the afternoon with the exciting news that he would have to travel to New York to be arrested.
He has told aides that he wanted to be treated like any other defendant and rejected suggestions that he might receive special treatment, saying he was innocent and had nothing to fear from the justice system.
When the details of the charges emerged, his response took effect.
In addition to his email statement, Trump used Truth Social to condemn the charges
Trump’s social media accounts amplified messages from key boosters
His Allied Political Action Committee quickly moved into action.
“This is not an indictment of a crime — there was no crime — instead, this news is the indictment of a failed nation,” Taylor Budowich, CEO of Make America Great Again Inc, said in an emailed statement.
He said Trump was being punished for putting America first.
“Because of that, the political elites and those in power have armed the government to try and stop him. They will fail. He will be re-elected in the greatest landslide in American history, and together we will all make America great again.”
The idea of an imminent landslide was echoed in a Trump statement that followed soon after.
Meanwhile, Don Jr has dumped his recorded podcast to go live with his outrage on the Rumble platform.
Let’s be clear, folks. This is something like communist level,” he said. These are things that would make Mao Stalin Pol Pot. It would make them blush.
“It’s so blatant. It’s so crazy when even the radical leftists at The Washington Post say it’s not really based on facts.’
Don Jr denounced the federal government on Rumble’s ‘Triggered with Donald Trump Jr’, calling his father’s charges ‘communist level s***’ on Thursday afternoon
Trump played nine holes of golf at his West Palm Beach club on Thursday. He’s pictured here a day earlier with Natalie Harp, who helps run his Truth Social media account
Surrogates, public supporters of Trump, also began appearing on television and issuing statements of their own.
Kari Lake, who gained notoriety last year as one of the loudest voices claiming voter fraud when she ran for governor of Arizona, said, “This is a dark moment in our nation’s history.
“As the radical left and their weaponized criminal justice system have crossed all legal and ethical boundaries in an effort to destroy the 45th and probably 47th President of the United States, Donald J. Trump.”
In the three days since Trump announced he would be indicted two weeks ago, his campaign raised more than $1.5 million. And on Thursday, it fired off more fundraising emails.
“The Deep State will use everything at their disposal to silence the one political movement that puts YOU first,” someone said.
“But I promise you this: This witch hunt will backfire massively on Joe Biden.
“With your support, we will write the next great chapter of American history – and 2024 will forever be remembered as the year we saved our Republic.”