前总统唐纳德·特朗普s选举团队淡化了可能的起诉对他竞选活动的影响，坚持认为这不会迫使他削减开支，包括他的旅行。
与此同时，同事们吹嘘说，他们已经准备好对民主党检察官的党派钓鱼行动做出全力回应。
“这是新的常态，总统已经久经沙场。这个操作从2016年开始微调。处理这种类型的新闻循环，你学会变得擅长它。我们在竞选中有一个全方位的应对行动，可以应对我们遇到的任何事情，”特朗普竞选发言人张致恒告诉美国广播公司新闻。
曼哈顿地区检察官布拉格的办公室一直在调查封口费在特朗普2016年总统竞选期间向色情女演员斯托米·丹尼尔斯支付的款项，以掩盖所谓的婚外情。可能的起诉将集中在这笔款项是否违反了竞选财务法。
特朗普否认有任何不当行为，并表示两人从未发生关系，尽管他承认丹尼尔斯获得了13万美元。
特朗普竞选团队的工作人员以及与他的团队接触的人表示，一种不可避免的感觉已经蔓延到这位前总统的轨道上，但对于一个在政治生涯中打击了一系列调查的人来说，被起诉的前景在内部并不被视为一个重大的新挑战。
“自从这件事突然出现以来，我还没有直接和他谈过，但我一直在和他身边的关键工作人员联系，他们一直把这件事当作即将发生的事情，”一名为特朗普竞选工作的共和党工作人员表示。
“特朗普的心态是，你总是预计最糟糕的事情会发生。这就是他们的生活方式，”一名前竞选工作人员补充说，他仍与特朗普的团队保持联系，但无权公开发言。“那么，这是战备状态吗?我认为他自2015年以来一直处于战争状态。”
由于可能起诉的影响将长期存在，消息人士称，特朗普可能不得不保持灵活，以确保他能够出庭或应对不可预见的情况。
“唯一的问题是，如果他出于法律要求，不得不为自己辩护，我相信他会适当调整自己的日程，”特朗普竞选团队的工作人员说。
从近期来看，前员工和其他接受美国广播公司新闻采访的人预测，特朗普将维持他的旅行计划，包括本周六在德克萨斯州韦科举行的集会，同时将潜在的起诉视为进一步激怒他的基础的机会。
此外，与他2016年的竞选活动不同，他的2024年竞选活动由经验丰富的政治人士组成，盟友们表示，如果发出起诉书，他们随时准备起诉。
“在整个大选期间，每场集会演讲都有四段，”另一名仍与特朗普团队保持联系的前竞选助手说。"我认为他们会加倍支持他去那里的承诺。"
“虽然被捕是一次令人羞愧的经历，但对于特朗普的竞选团队来说，这可能是加速前进的最佳方式，”该人士补充道。“如果你知道如何利用它，你就不会要求更好的礼物了。他周围都是知道怎么做的人。”
布拉格周四表示，他不会屈服于特朗普盟友的外部压力，抨击众议院共和党人要求他提供有关他的调查的文件和证词。
Bragg的总法律顾问莱斯利·杜贝克(Leslie Dubeck)周四在给众议院共和党人的回复中表示，他们的请求标志着“对一项悬而未决的地方起诉的前所未有的调查”，而且“只是在唐纳德·特朗普(Donald Trump)制造了一个错误的预期，即他将在第二天被捕，据报道，他的律师敦促你进行干预之后”
“这两个事实都不是国会调查的合法基础，”杜贝克写道。
特朗普的批评者认为，起诉书可能会削弱他的支持，前新泽西州共和党州长。克里斯·克里斯蒂从盟友转变为批评者的特朗普周日在美国广播公司(ABC)的“本周”(This Week)节目中表示，特朗普从“混乱和动荡”中获得的任何“利润”都不会否定政治上的负面影响。
“最终，被起诉对任何人都没有帮助，”他补充道。“不是帮忙。”
尽管如此，特朗普身边的人表示，他们不认为特朗普痛斥他所认为的敌人的惯用伎俩会有任何停顿。
“这和以往一样，穆勒和所有其他调查都是如此。这只是攻击，”第一位前助手说。"一旦你出拳，你就不会停止。"
更多的拳头可能会在周六在德克萨斯州，张德培周四说，“如果我是你，我会看韦科拉力赛。”
Trump campaign insists he won't be deterred by possible indictment
Former President Donald Trump's election team is downplaying the impact of a possible indictment on his campaign, insisting it will not force him cut back, including on his travel.
At the same time, associates boast they're ready to launch a full-throated response to what they cast as a partisan fishing expedition by a Democratic prosecutor.
"This is the new normal, the president has been battle-tested. This operation has been fine-tuned since 2016. Dealing with these types of news cycles, you learn to get good at it. We have a full-spectrum response operation on the campaign that can deal with anything that comes our way," Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung told ABC News.
Manhattan District Attorney Bragg's office has been investigating a hush money payment sent to porn actress Stormy Daniels during Trump's 2016 presidential campaign to cover up an alleged affair. The possible indictment could center on whether the payment amounted to a violation of campaign finance law.
Trump denies any wrongdoing and says the two never had a relationship, though he has admitted Daniels was paid $130,000.
Operatives working on Trump's campaign and in touch with his team said a sense of inevitability has crept into the former president's orbit but that the prospect of an indictment is not viewed internally as a significant new challenge for someone who has spent his political career batting away a string of investigations.
"I haven't spoken to him directly on this since it since it popped up, but I've been in touch with the key staff around him, and they treated it all along like it was going to happen," said one GOP operative working on Trump's campaign.
"The Trump mentality is, you always expect that the worst is going to happen. That's just how they live," added one former campaign staffer who is still in touch with Trump's team but was not authorized to speak on the record. "So, is this a war footing? I think he's been on war footing since 2015."
As the impact of a possible indictment plays out in the long term, sources said Trump might have to stay flexible to ensure he can appear in court or address unforeseen circumstances.
"The only thing is, if he, for legal requirements, has to defend himself, I'm sure he'll adjust his schedule appropriately," said the operative working with the Trump campaign.
In the near-term, the ex-staffers and others who spoke to ABC News forecasted that Trump will maintain his travel schedule -- including a rally this coming Saturday in Waco, Texas -- while viewing the potential indictment as an opportunity to further rile up his base.
And, unlike his 2016 campaign, his 2024 bid is staffed by veteran politicos who allies say stand ready to spin an indictment, if issued.
"It's four paragraphs in every rally speech through the general election," said a second former campaign aide still in touch with Trump's team. "I think they'll double down on his commitment to get out there."
"While being arrested is a humbling experience, there's probably no better way for the Trump campaign to move into overdrive," the person added. "You couldn't ask for a better gift if you understand how to take advantage of it. And he's surrounded by people who know how to do it."
Bragg Thursday indicated he would not give in to external pressure from Trump's allies, lashing out at House Republicans' demand he provide documents and testimony about his investigation.
Leslie Dubeck, Bragg's general counsel, said in a response to House Republicans Thursday that their request marks "an unprecedented inquiry into a pending local prosecution" and came "only came after Donald Trump created a false expectation that he would be arrested the next day and his lawyers reportedly urged you to intervene."
"Neither fact is a legitimate basis for congressional inquiry," Dubeck wrote.
And Trump's detractors suggest an indictment could undercut his support, with former New Jersey GOP Gov. Chris Christie, an ally-turned-critic, saying Sunday on ABC's "This Week" that any "profits" Trump gains from "chaos and turmoil" don't negate the political downside.
"At the end, being indicted never helps anybody," he added. "It's not a help."
Still, those in Trump's orbit said they didn't expect any pause in Trump's well-worn playbook of lambasting his perceived enemies.
"It's the same as it always been, as it was with Mueller, as with all these other investigations. It's just attack," the first former aide said. "Once you punch, you just don't stop."
More punches could be thrown as soon as Saturday in Texas, with Cheung saying Thursday, "I'd watch the Waco rally if I were you."
