According to sources in Florida, Donald Trump is expected to arrive in New York around noon today for his historic arraignment tomorrow on charges of covering up a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
As the former president packs his overnight case at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, there are a lot of swirls both inside and outside the Manhattan courtroom.
Juan Merchan is expected to rule soon on a motion filed by several media outlets, including CNN, the New York Times and Washington Post, for permission to broadcast Tuesday afternoon s hearing.
They want Merchan to unseals the indictment against Trump, details of which are yet to be known, other than it contains more than 30 charges and reportedly has at least one felony for falsifying documents relating to the pay-off.
In support of the motion, lawyers for the media outlets insist:
Lawyers for the former president say they are expecting Merchan to issue a gag order Monday, or at his arraignment, on all parties in the case, after Trump made a furious tirade against Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg over the weekend.
Such an order could impact what Trump will have to say in comments he is scheduled to make from Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday night, immediately after returning from New York.
As for today, Trump is expected to leave Palm Beach International Airport at midday and arrive at LaGuardia Airport in New York around 3 pm, reports said. He will spend the night in his Trump Tower apartment in Manhattan.
While we wait for further developments, read on my colleague Hugo Lowell's account of the ex-president's plans to stay on offense: