Trump indictment: Trump faces some 2 dozen counts, including felonies, sources say
Trump has become the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges.
Donald Trump was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury on Thursday, becoming the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges.
It was not immediately clear what the indictment was connected to, or what charges Trump will face. The indictment is under seal.
Trump is expected to surrender in New York City early this week, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
Latest headlines:
- America split on Trump indictment: Poll
- Trump expected to travel to New York on Monday
- Why Trump indictment might hinge on a 'novel legal theory'
- Trump faces around 2 dozen counts, including felonies, sources say
- Ivanka Trump speaks out
- Trump has 'never been held accountable,' Cohen says
- Trump expected to surrender in New York early next week: Sources
Judge signs order allowing DA to publicly acknowledge indictment
Judge Juan Merchan has signed this order allowing the Manhattan district attorney's office to publicly acknowledge the indictment.
Bragg's office calls on House GOP to 'denounce attacks'
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg on Friday again resisted the House GOP investigation of his office’s prosecution of Trump.
Bragg’s legal counsel called the inquiry “illegitimate incursion” into a legitimate investigation.
The House Republicans -- Reps. Jim Jordan, James Comer and Bryan Steil -- have said they want to find evidence of federal funds used to investigate Trump. But Bragg’s office said they were merely doing Trump’s bidding.
“Finally, as you are no doubt aware, former President Trump has directed harsh invective against District Attorney Bragg and threatened on social media that his arrest or indictment in New York may unleash 'death & destruction.' As Committee Chairmen, you could use the stature of your office to denounce these attacks and urge respect for the fairness of our justice system and for the work of the impartial grand jury," counsel Leslie Dubeck wrote in a letter to the lawmakers.
"Instead, you and many of your colleagues have chosen to collaborate with Mr. Trump’s efforts to vilify and denigrate the integrity of elected state prosecutors and trial judges and made unfounded allegations that the Office’s investigation, conducted via an independent grand jury of average citizens serving New York State, is politically motivated.”
Biden repeatedly declines to comment
President Joe Biden repeatedly declined to comment on the indictment when leaving the White House Friday morning to head to Mississippi.
Asked by ABC News if he had any reaction, Biden said, "No," and shook his head.
Reporters tried to get the president to comment on the issue from several different angles, but Biden did not bite each time.
Biden was asked if he was worried the indictment would further divide the country, and he said, "I have no comment on that."
Asked if he was worried about protests, Biden replied, "No, I'm not going to talk about the Trump indictment."
Later asked what the indictment said about the rule of law in this country, Biden said, "I have no comment at all on Trump."
Biden learned about the indictment through the news at the same time as the rest of the country, according to the White House press secretary.
Vice President Kamala Harris also declined to comment during a press conference in Lusaka, Tanzania.
-ABC News' Molly Nagle
Secret Service, NYPD, other agencies to conduct walk-through of courts building
The NYPD, U.S. Secret Service, U.S. Marshals and New York State Court officers will meet on Friday to coordinate next week’s surrender of former President Donald Trump, law enforcement sources told ABC News.
Representatives from the agencies will also conduct a walk-through of the criminal courts building.
The 15th floor, where presiding Judge Juan Merchan’s courtroom is located, is already blocked off.
Trump has 'never been held accountable,' Cohen says
Donald Trump's former personal attorney and fixer Michael Cohen said the ex-president is likely "seething" over the indictment because he's "never been held accountable."
"The fact that he is being held accountable, something that he has no desire to ever be. He's never been held accountable," Cohen told ABC News' George Stephanopoulos in an interview Friday on "Good Morning America."
"This is a man who held up the Bible and said he's never apologized to God because he's never done anything wrong," he added. "He doesn't understand accountability. And right now, [Manhattan District Attorney] Alvin Bragg has finally put that into his lap."
Cohen, who is now estranged from Trump and is a key prosecution witness, said he decided years ago that his "loyalty can no longer be to a man who doesn't deserve it."
Cohen was sentenced to three years in prison in December 2018, after pleading guilty to violating federal campaign finance law in connection with hush-money payments and lying to Congress, among other crimes.
During Friday's interview on "GMA," Cohen said he followed Trump's "message" for more than a decade and "that is what got me in trouble."
When asked if he feels ready to be cross-examined, Cohen replied: "Absolutely."
"The documents will speak for themselves," he added, referring to the sealed indictment.
"So, not just your testimony?" Stephanopoulos responded.
"No," Cohen said. "And it's also corroborating testimony, but it's documents."