The U.S. Secret Service has reportedly met with jail officials in New York to prepare for the possibility of former President Donald Trump being convicted in his ongoing hush-money case. According to a corrections source who spoke to CBS News, these preparations come as the Manhattan trial enters the final stages of closing arguments and jury deliberations.
If Trump is convicted, corrections officers would be responsible for protecting any Secret Service agents tasked with safeguarding him during any potential time behind bars. The location where Trump might serve jail time remains uncertain, though CBS noted that shorter sentences can be served at the Rikers Island complex, which has facilities often used for high-profile inmates.
Trump’s allies have expressed outrage over these developments, criticizing the case brought forward by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg. They emphasized the political implications, noting that Trump is a presidential candidate.
“Today the government is trying to throw the leading candidate for President in prison on bogus charges in a city stacked with far-left jurors,” wrote political commentator Robby Starbuck on X (formerly Twitter). “If Biden puts Trump in jail, Trump will win in a landslide we haven’t seen since Reagan,” argued social media influencer Rogan O’Handley, known as “DC Draino.”
The case revolves around 34 felony counts of falsifying business records, allegedly to cover up damaging information in a scheme intended to influence the 2016 election. Trump, who has pleaded not guilty, is also handling other legal challenges while gearing up for a potential rematch against Joe Biden in the 2024 presidential election.
Should Trump be convicted, it is expected that the presiding judge, Juan Merchan, would schedule a separate hearing for sentencing. Merchan is a Biden donor with direct familial ties to the Democratic Party.