Trump braces for criminal charges in New York as mayor tells Marjorie Taylor Greene to behave

With former President Trump arriving in New York on Monday, Mayor Eric Adams said police were prepared for protests around his Tuesday arraignment but urged protesters and “rabble-rousers” — including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene — to “be on your best behavior.”

The warning came as New York braces for the possibility of protests, crowds and global attention as Trump is set to be arraigned.

Adams and New York Police Commissioner Keechant L. Sewell said there were no specific or credible threats in the run-up to Trump’s court appearance but that the city would be significantly increasing its police presence as a precaution.

“New York is already always, always ready,” Adams said during a news conference Monday. “While there may be some rabble-rousers thinking about coming to our city tomorrow, our message is clear and simple: Control yourselves.”

But Tuesday’s arraignment also comes as some supporters of the former president have called for protests, with some such as Greene (R-Ga.) also calling for the arrest of New York County Dist. Atty. Alvin L. Bragg for launching the grand jury inquiry into Trump.

Security forces gather outside Manhattan Criminal Court in New York on Monday ahead of former President Trump’s arraignment Tuesday.

(John Minchillo / Associated Press)

The charges are related to an alleged hush-money payment made to a porn actor in the final days of the 2016 campaign, and mark the first time in history that a former U.S. president has been criminally prosecuted.

The indictments, the details of which are expected to be revealed Tuesday, come as Trump is facing separate investigations into his alleged involvement in 2020 election interference by his supporters and the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol, along with his handling of classified documents after leaving office.

Greene called for Bragg’s arrest on Twitter on March 22, alleging without evidence that the prosecutor was “breaking the law and trying to incite civil unrest.”

On Friday, the congresswoman announced on Twitter that she would be heading to New York and urged Trump’s supporters to “protest the unconstitutional WITCH HUNT.”

Trump also called for protests as news of a possible indictment first surfaced in mid-March, but his calls have not seemed to garner a large crowd so far. Still, the fear of the possibility of violence continued to be a concern.

Adams singled out Greene — an extremist and conspiracy theorist — during Monday’s news conference.

“Although we have no specific threats, people like Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is known to spread misinformation and hate speech, she stated she’s coming town,” Adams said, before issuing a message to the congresswoman and protesters: “While you’re in town, be on your best behavior.”

Greene responded to Adams’ comments on Twitter, and said the mayor was “trying to intimidate, threaten and stop me from using my 1st amendment rights.”

Adams and Sewell declined to offer specifics as to how many police officers would be deployed across the city, but Sewell said the department was ready to pivot with officers if their presence was needed.

By Monday, multiple layers of fences and barriers had been placed in and around Trump Tower while traffic continued to flow outside.

Trump’s motorcade arrived at Trump Tower at about 4 p.m. Eastern time, as news helicopters hovered overhead and camera crews waited outside for the former president.

News cameras captured Trump waving as he walked quickly inside.

Peter Donald, former assistant commissioner for the New York Police Department and founder of communications agency Arena, said the NYPD was one of the country’s most sophisticated policing agencies and would gather intelligence from an array of individuals and entities.

“They’re going to have both plainclothes and in-uniform police officers out and about,” he said. “They are are going to have other types of technology deployed, including video cameras, gunshot detection equipment, radiological sensors and kind of every tool you can think of, in addition to aviation.”

Historically, the NYPD looks at similar situations from several angles, including the possibility of “lone actors” or small groups that “might be operating off the grid, without connectivity to networks,” and larger groups that may be attempting to disrupt, he said. “They think through every possible scenario.”

In addition to monitoring any possible safety threats Tuesday, Sewell said the department had provided “additional assistance” to secure the safety of the district attorney.

“We take any threats or concerns for our elected officials very seriously, so we have provided some assistance in that regard, and we are investigating any threats that may be made to the D.A. or any of his staff,” she said.

City officials also urged people to use public transit, warning that Tuesday’s court hearing and possible protests would bring significant traffic to the area.

Sewell said there would be rolling street closures throughout Manhattan to facilitate Trump’s travel from Trump Tower to court, where he is expected to be arraigned at 2:15 p.m. She said some streets near the two locations would likely be closed all of Tuesday to facilitate Trump’s arrival and exit, but Sewell and a spokesperson for the department declined to offer specifics.

Sewell said a “healthy number of officers” would also be dispatched to the city’s subways to ensure safety.