Former President Donald Trump addressed the nation from his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, following an arraignment in Manhattan earlier in the day. Despite facing criminal charges, Trump’s supporters rallied around him, with a new Reuters poll indicating a surge in support among Republicans. During Trump’s Full Speech at Mar-a-Lago, he passionately defended himself against the charges, and his followers cheered him on. Many viewers of Trump’s Full Speech were left wondering about the impact it would have on his legal battles and his future in politics.

Later that evening, at around 8:15 pm ET, Trump returned to Florida and addressed supporters gathered at his Mar-a-Lago home. He spoke at length about the charges against him and his plans for the future.

At approximately 2:15 pm ET on Tuesday, April 4, 2023, Trump was arraigned in Manhattan on criminal charges related to hush money paid to a porn star before the 2016 election. However, despite the severity of the charges, Trump’s supporters remained loyal.

Here is the full video via rumble

According to a Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Monday, April 3, 2023, Trump has widened his lead over his rivals in the 2024 Republican presidential nominating contest, despite facing criminal charges. The poll showed that 48% of self-described Republicans want Trump to be their party’s presidential nominee, up from 44% in a March 14-20 poll. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who was Trump’s closest rival, saw his support drop from 30% to 19% during the same period.

The poll revealed that Trump’s lead over DeSantis has nearly doubled in the past few weeks. In March, Trump held a 14-point lead over DeSantis, with 44% of Republicans supporting him compared to 30% for DeSantis. By April 3, Trump’s lead had grown to 29 points, with 48% of Republicans supporting him and just 19% supporting DeSantis.

The ongoing politically-motivated persecution of a former president over minor charges appears to be re-igniting support and perhaps re-uniting some factions within the Republican Party. While there were some Republicans ready to move on from Trump, the indictment by Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg appears to have had the opposite effect.

According to the Reuters poll, 71% of Americans, including 58% of Republicans, believe that Trump paid porn star Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about an affair ahead of the 2016 presidential election. Trump has denied the affair, though he has acknowledged paying Daniels.

At the same time, 51% of poll respondents, including 80% of Republicans, said they believed the charges against Trump are politically motivated. Many Americans view the charges as a politically-calculated stunt by a highly partisan, left-leaning District Attorney.

Despite facing criminal charges, Donald Trump’s supporters remain loyal, with his lead over his rivals in the 2024 Republican presidential nominating contest widening in the past few weeks. The charges against Trump may have actually boosted his support among Republicans, with many viewing them as politically motivated. As the indictment is unsealed and the full accounting of charges being brought against Trump is revealed to the public, we will know more about the future of his political career.

1. What are the charges against Donald Trump?

• Donald Trump has been indicted on criminal charges related to hush money paid to a porn star before the 2016 election.