Former President Donald Trump has still been active on the campaign trail and on social media as he awaits a potential indictment for his role in trying to overturn the 2020 election and in the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the Capitol.
On Tuesday he headed to New Orleans for a closed-door fundraiser and made a stop at the famous Cafe Du Monde. Dozens of supporters turned out to the airport to greet Trump. Marcus Cleaver, a 51 year-old Republican from Covington, La., told NBC News’ Jake Traylor that an indictment would be “a badge of honor.”
“When you have this many people coming after one man, relentlessly, I think it’s wise to follow that man,” Cleaver said.
For his part, Trump has continued to stress his innocence. Asked by Traylor if he is concerned that some in his orbit have been testifying in the case, Trump said at the airport, “We’re innocent, we’re totally innocent. We have a bunch of crooked people running this country. They’re dishonest and crooked people running this country.”
Meanwhile, Trump has continued to post missives on his Truth Social platform, per NBC News’ Olympia Sonnier, targeting Special Counsel Jack Smith and Attorney General Merrick Garland, calling the investigations into his conduct political persecution.
Trump’s campaign also has continued to fundraise off of a potential indictment, Sonnier reports.
“We all know that change cannot and will not come from within this poisonous, corrupt justice system,” read one missive on Tuesday afternoon. “Rather, at this pivotal moment in our nation’s history — as America is teetering on the brink of tyranny — our only hope of justice will come from YOU.”
In other campaign news …
Christie sharpens his elbows: NBC News’ Nnamdi Egwuonwu and Emma Barnett report on how former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie is sharpening his lines of attack against other candidates besides Trump.
All hawkeyes on the GOP candidates: Iowa Republican Gov. Kim Reynolds is sitting down with a handful of Republican presidential candidates for interviews at the Iowa State Fair next month. Trump is not on the list, but Fox News reports that Reynolds invited the whole field.
Leave a dollar, take a $20: Miami Mayor Francis Suarez is the latest candidate promising to give donors money in exchange for them contributing to his campaign.
Abortion in the courtroom: Iowa’s Supreme Court agreed on Tuesday to hear an appeal of a lower court order that blocked a six-week abortion ban GOP Gov. Kim Reynolds signed into law earlier this month, NBC News’ Jillian Frankel and Alex Tabet report.
Pence feels the pressure: Former Vice President Mike Pence’s campaign is imploring donors to give to his campaign explicitly so that he can make the first GOP presidential debate in August, NBC News’ Sarah Dean reports. “Our numbers are getting extremely close, and we are more confident than ever that he’ll be on the debate stage in August,” the campaign said.
