Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Jun 21, 2025

'Trump enjoys being the victim.' Alvin Bragg's 34-count indictment could help him argue he's been unfairly targeted, ex-prosecutors say.

'Trump enjoys being the victim.' Alvin Bragg's 34-count indictment could help him argue he's been unfairly targeted, ex-prosecutors say.

"You've got to work hard to make President Trump a martyr," Rep. Nancy Mace said, adding the indictment "managed to do just that."
Former President Donald Trump has long framed himself as a victim being unfairly targeted by the establishment, and his recent indictment could provide more fodder for him and his allies to cling to.

The indictment was unveiled Tuesday, revealing the former president was being charged on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in connection to a $130,000 hush-money payment that was made to the adult-film actress Stormy Daniels. Trump has denied the affair and being involved in the payment.

But former prosecutors told Insider the indictment was underwhelming, noting Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg did not specify exactly what underlying crime Trump allegedly committed that would've justified the bumping the charges up to felony status.

They also said the 34 counts could be viewed as excessive — and even give Trump and his team fuel to argue he was being unfairly targeted.

"Trump enjoys being the victim in all this, and that's what he's going to lean into," Joshua Ritter, a former Los Angeles County prosecutor and partner with El Dabe Ritter Trial Lawyers, told Insider. "It begins to look like you're piling on when you charge it this way."

Ritter said there was nothing improper or illegal about charging Trump on each individual document, but that it's not a universally common practice. For instance, he compared it to someone breaking into and robbing a safe, in which case the suspect would typically be charged with burglary, rather than being charged on each individual piece of jewelry that was stolen.

The 34 charges may not impact how the case is viewed in the criminal court, Ritter said, "but in the way it plays out in the court of public opinion, it's probably going to work to his benefit — when you realize this isn't 34 independent criminal acts, but 34 steps towards the same criminal act."

Neama Rahmani, a former federal prosecutor, also told Insider the 34 counts appeared to be inflated, adding: "We know Trump is going to do everything he can to take advantage of this politically — he feels Republicans on Capitol Hill see this as a win for them. They're going to say everything they can to make this out to be a witch hunt conducted by unruly prosecutors."

Ambrosio Rodriguez, a former prosecutor in the Riverside County district attorney's office in Southern California, also expressed concerns about the case, telling Insider that Bragg "should have taken into account the precedent that this sets and whether or not this particular set of facts was worth it."

The former prosecutors also said that in a case like this that was so politically charged and unprecedented, Bragg's indictment should've been a slam-dunk.

"When you are about to make history you would expect you would have something rock solid. This is not anywhere near rock solid," Ritter said.

Trump was leaning into his victimhood even before Tuesday's arraignment, sending a fundraising email with the subject line: "My last email before my arrest." During a speech from Mar-a-Lago Tuesday night, Trump called the charges "a persecution, not an investigation" and said: "The only crime that I've committed is to fiercely defend our nation."

He struck a similar chord in a fundraising email that followed: "The more they try to frame me, slander me, and destroy me, the stronger my resolve to complete our mission." And on Wednesday, he claimed the indictment was actually paying off for him.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump said Tuesday was "an unbelievable experience, perhaps the Best Day in History for somebody who had just suffered Unjustifiable Indictment!" and added that $10 million had flowed into his campaign coffers because of it.

Even some of Trump's critics saw the indictment as a win for his victimhood narrative.

"You've got to work hard to make President Trump a martyr. Congratulations to Manhattan DA , Alvin Bragg, who has managed to do just that," Republican Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, who Trump sought to oust last year, wrote on Twitter. "This clearly political prosecution sets a dangerous precedent."
Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
UK Deploys Jets to Middle East Amid Rising Tensions
Exiled Iranian Prince Reza Pahlavi Urges Overthrow of Khamenei Regime
Wreck of $17 Billion San José Galleon Identified Off Colombia After 300 Years
Iran Launches Extensive Missile Attack on Israel Following Israeli Strikes on Nuclear Sites
Israel Issues Ultimatum to Iran Over Potential Retaliation and Nuclear Facilities
Black Box Recovered from Air India Crash Site
Coinbase CEO Warns Bitcoin Could Supplant US Dollar Amid Mounting National Debt
Trump to Iran: Make a Deal — Sign or Die
Operation "Like a Lion": Israel Strikes Iran in Unprecedented Offensive
Israel Launches 'Operation Rising Lion' Targeting Iranian Nuclear and Military Sites
Israeli Forces Intercept Gaza-Bound Aid Vessel Carrying Greta Thunberg
IMF Warns of Severe Global Trade War Impacts on Emerging Markets
Syria to Reconnect to Global Economy After 14 Years of Isolation
Israel Confirms Arming Gaza Clan to Counter Hamas Influence
Global News Roundup: From Ukraine's strategic military strikes and Russia's demands and Tensions Escalate in Ukraine, to serious legal issues faced by Britons in Bali and Trump's media criticism, the latest developments highlight a turbulent landscape
U.S. Reduces Military Presence in Syria
Trump Demands Iran End All Uranium Enrichment in Nuclear Talks
Iran Warns Europe Against Politicizing UN Nuclear Report
Paris Saint-Germain's Greatest Triumph Is Football’s Lowest Point
OPEC+ Agrees to Increase Oil Output for Third Consecutive Month
Turkey Detains Istanbul Officials Amid Anti-Corruption Crackdown
Meta and Anduril Collaborate on AI-Driven Military Augmented Reality Systems
EU Central Bank Pushes to Replace US Dollar with Euro as World’s Main Currency
European and Arab Ministers Convene in Madrid to Address Gaza Conflict
U.S. Health Secretary Ends Select COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
Trump Warns Putin Is 'Playing with Fire' Amid Escalating Ukraine Conflict
India and Pakistan Engage Trump-Linked Lobbyists to Influence U.S. Policy
U.S. Halts New Student Visa Interviews Amid Enhanced Security Measures
Trump Administration Cancels $100 Million in Federal Contracts with Harvard
SpaceX Starship Test Flight Ends in Failure, Mars Mission Timeline Uncertain
King Charles Affirms Canadian Sovereignty Amid U.S. Statehood Pressure
×