Neither "crime" nor "offence": threatened with indictment, Donald Trump proclaimed his innocence on Saturday during his first campaign rally for the presidential election, held in a highly symbolic place, the Texas town of Waco, theater he 30 years ago of a deadly assault on a sect opposed to federal power.
The former US president has been threatening imminent arrest in New York for more than a week in a payout case to porn actress Stormy Daniels just before her 2016 victory.
Justice is seeking to determine whether Mr. Trump is guilty of misrepresentation, an offense, or breach of campaign finance laws, a criminal offense, by having paid money to the actress of pornographic films.
"The New York District Attorney, under the auspices and direction of the Department of Injustice in Washington DC, was investigating me for something that is neither a felony, nor a misdemeanor, nor an affair," he said. he asserted in front of thousands of supporters gathered under the Texas sun.
The city of Waco, population 130,000, remains associated with the anti-government Davidian sect.
In the spring of 1993, the world was suspended for 51 days by the FBI's siege of a ranch in which armed followers of guru David Koresh had taken refuge. Seventy-six cult members, including 20 children, were found dead after the ranch fire. Four police officers were also killed.
Donald Trump's campaign team did not respond to requests from AFP as to the choice of Waco for the meeting.
The former president, also under threat of investigations into his 2020 Georgia election lobbying and handling of classified White House records, regularly poses as the victim of a mysterious "shadow state."
The FBI's spectacular search of his Florida residence? "A shocking abuse of power". The two congressional impeachment proceedings he went through? "A witch hunt".
By returning to his base at a meeting in Waco, Donald Trump is also reconnecting with an exercise he loves. The scenes of the former president, in the process of sketching small dance steps, or throwing his famous red caps to the crowd are now cult among his followers.
In the Texas city, some of his fans were stamping their feet with impatience on Friday evening, visibly unconcerned by the legal troubles of their idol.
"Everything is distorted to give him a bad image," Kelly Heath, 49, told AFP, seeing it as an attempt to "silence" him.
Saturday, near the meeting near Waco airport, a 72-year-old retiree, Louis, accompanied by his 16-year-old grandson, whom he says is a "big fan" of Trump even if he is not not old enough to vote, suggests that "all presidents have had mistresses. Why not him?".
Julie, who comes from the city of Tyler in Texas, assures for her part that the case of Stormy Daniels is "not a great cause. She came from nowhere to see how much money she could extract" from Donald Trump .
"Those are lies. He's the boss and he's going to save America," said Sherry, 55.
Many stalls sell the full panoply of the Trump brand, from "Trump 2024" and "Trump Girl" caps to a white shirt with the slogan: "God, guns, Trump in Waco, Texas".
A placard assures that "the democrats are communists".
Above all, this meeting offers the Republican the opportunity to breathe new life into his campaign, which for the moment does not enjoy the hoped-for momentum even if most polls give him the winner of a primary.
The billionaire, who continues against all odds to evoke supposed "frauds" never proven in the 2020 election, has also seen part of the right - and in particular its wealthy donors - turn to the new champion of hard right, Ron DeSantis, 44.
The governor of Florida is not yet officially launched in the race but will undoubtedly be one of his biggest rivals for the Republican nomination in 2024.
26/03/2023 01:20:46 - Waco (United States) (AFP) - © 2023 AFP
