Trump to rally at site of deadly anti-gov siege

WACO, March 25, (AFP) Donald Trump staged his first presidential campaign rally Saturday at the site of a deadly 1993 standoff between an anti-government cult and federal agents as he railed against multiple criminal probes threatening his bid for the White House.

Waco, Texas -- which is marking the 30th anniversary of the siege -- has become a touchstone for far-right activists glorying in its history of resistance against perceived government overreach.

The rally comes amid a torrent of increasingly bellicose statements by Trump claiming a “witch hunt” by prosecutors he refers to as “human scum” who are pursuing cases against him in New York, Washington and Atlanta.

The Republican leader was to address at least 15,000 supporters as he braces for possible charges over a hush money payout days before the 2016 election to a porn star alleging a sexual encounter.

The 76-year-old -- who was impeached for inciting an insurrection -- called last weekend for protests against Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, as the former president claimed falsely that he was about to be arrested.

Trump is believed to be the frontrunner by a considerable margin to be the Republican nominee in the 2024 presidential election. The chasing pack, led by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, was initially reticent in its criticism of the ex-reality TV star, but has begun criticising his character and the scandal that surrounds him.

Trump is under federal investigation for his efforts to overturn his 2020 election defeat and inciting the deadly riot at the US Capitol that his supporters launched to halt the peaceful transfer of power to Joe Biden. Trump issued a dark warning about the consequences of an indictment, predicting “potential death & destruction” that “could be catastrophic for our Country.”