The United States is bracing for possible protests over the possibility that former President Donald Trump would be indicted over an alleged hush-money payment during his 2016 election campaign.

Law enforcement in major US cities, including New York City and Washington, D.C., have ramped up security this week.

“While law enforcement is not tracking any specific, credible threats against the Capitol or state offices, there is potential for demonstration activity,” the Senate sergeant at arms recently wrote in a notice to the offices of U.S. senators.

Capitol Police are “working with law enforcement partners, so you may observe a greater law enforcement presence on Capitol Hill,” the notice obtained by US media outlets read.

Bike racks were set up along some streets near the Capitol, located on Capitol Hill at the eastern end of the National Mall in Washington, D.C. Authorities have also erected metal barricades outside the district attorney’s office and the criminal court in Manhattan, New York City.

Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform over the weekend that he expected to be arrested this week in connection to the Manhattan district attorney’s office’s probe into the 2016 payment made to American adult film actress Stormy Daniels. In the post, Trump urged his supporters to “protest, take our nation back!”

Joe Tacopina, Trump’s attorney, warned that it would be “an all-out war” if Trump, who’s seeking the White House again in 2024, is indicted. US Senator Lindsey Graham, a South Carolina Republican, also suggested that bringing charges against Trump would “blow up our country.”

The investigation is examining Trump’s involvement in the payment of 130,000 U.S. dollars to Daniels in order to keep her quiet about an alleged sexual encounter she said she had with him in 2006.

CURRENTPH NEWS SERVICE