And in the red corner! Donald Trump has been seen for the first time since he claimed he would be arrested on Tuesday

Donald Trump broke cover Saturday afternoon aboard his private jet, hours after announcing his arrest Tuesday over allegations that he paid porn star Stormy Daniels to keep quiet about their alleged affair.

In exclusive photos by DailyMail.com, Trump is seen taking his Trump-branded Boeing 757 from Florida to Tulsa, Oklahoma for the NCAA Wrestling Championships at the BOK Center.

The president, who was accompanied by a large security guard, spent this morning convicting New York prosecutors who are expected to indict him over the $130,000 payment to Daniels, a porn star, during the run-up to the 2016 election.

The former president donned a suit and tie and headed on a plane to watch a contest for the nation’s best college wrestlers.

Trump had earlier urged his supporters to “protest, protest, protest” over the impending charges with an inflammatory message directed to his TruthSocial platform.

Trump claimed on his Truth Social account that the Manhattan DA’s office would arrest him within days and called the investigation “extremely corrupt and political,” describing the alleged hush money payment as “an old, fully exposed fairy tale.”

He urged his supporters to demonstrate against the criminal case – prompting fears among law enforcement officials that his words could be interpreted as a call to violence.

Prosecutors from the Manhattan District Attorney’s office will meet today to discuss how to handle the announcement of Trump’s indictment and arrest.

Officials are also beefing up security around the New York County Superior Court in anticipation of the protests.

If Trump’s allegations of an imminent arrest are true, he would be the first former president to face criminal charges. His post came hours after it was claimed that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg was planning to indict Trump next week.

Top Republicans led by House Speaker Kevin McCarthy were quick to characterize the investigation as politically motivated, and legal experts questioned whether the case had any merit.

Elon Musk, the richest man in the world, has said that if he is indicted, Trump will be re-elected with a landslide victory in the 2024 presidential election.

A Trump spokesperson said he was “rightfully highlighting his innocence and weaponizing our system of injustice”.

“Here we go again — an outrageous abuse of power by a radical DA who lets violent criminals walk while seeking political revenge against President Trump,” said House Speaker Kevin McCarthy.

“I am directing the relevant committees to immediately investigate whether federal funds are being used to undermine our democracy by interfering with elections through politically motivated prosecutions.”

Last week, the former president and hopeful in 2024 was called upon to testify before a grand jury in Manhattan, with Michael Cohen testifying Monday.

Cohen served prison time after pleading guilty to two criminal cases, one of which involved the use of campaign funds in connection with Daniels and another woman who allegedly had an affair with Trump.

He said he was acting at his behest and that the payoffs were meant to keep stories of the case out of public knowledge before the 2016 election. Trump has admitted to compensating Cohen

Daniels met with prosecutors on Wednesday to answer more questions in the case, and her attorney, Clark Brewster, said she would also make herself available as a witness in the future, if needed.

Speculation that indictments were imminent also increased when Bragg told the Trump team that the former president could testify before a grand jury if he so chose—usually a notice at the end of the process that could mean an indictment is approaching.

Trump could face one of two charges related to the payments — but lawyers said it would be difficult to prove both.

He could be charged with falsifying business records if Trump allegedly knew his proxy agreement with Cohen was a sham to facilitate payments. That would be a misdemeanor under New York law unless prosecutors prove the records were falsified to conceal another crime, making it a felony.

This other offense may be that the payments violated state election law because the alleged payment was intended to benefit his election campaign.

Trump could face up to four years in prison for the charges.

But experts also say the former president could still be re-elected if he is indicted or even convicted over the issue. Trump has already confirmed that he “wouldn’t even consider leaving” the race if indicted.

The US Constitution does not say that a candidate cannot run if he or she has a criminal record. The requirements are simply that the candidate must be a natural citizen at least 35 years of age and have resided in the United States for 14 years or more.

told Kate Shaw, a legal analyst and professor at Cardozo College of Law ABC“Nothing in the Constitution shall prevent individuals convicted of crimes from running for office or serving as President.”

Shaw said any issues are likely to be practical rather than legal, such as imprisonment making the campaign “difficult, if not impossible”.

Also this week, Trump’s attorney, Joseph Tacopina, said an indictment was “more likely” due to the latest developments.

“But one thing I still cling to is the hope that justice will prevail,” he said.

Tacupina also said he hoped Manhattan office DA Alvin Bragg wouldn’t stoop to the level of Mark Pomerantz, who was looking for a person-fit offense.

Tacopina referred to memos by Mark Pomerantz, former special assistant for the Manhattan District, who led the bureau’s investigation into Trump for a year beginning in February 2021.

In a letter sent to the commissioner of the New York City Department of Investigations last Friday, Trump’s attorney accused Bragg and his predecessor, Cyrus Vance Jr., of conducting a “politically motivated investigation.”

Prosecutors have “armed” their offices, Tacopina writes, “scouring every aspect of President Trump’s personal life and business affairs, for decades, in hopes of finding a legal basis—however elusive, inventive or complex—to prosecute him.” ”

“It’s hard to argue that previous investigations were politically motivated,” Vance said.

“There was no notification, other than illegal leaks from the Justice Department and the DA’s office, to NBC and other fake news companies, that the George Soros-funded, radical left-wing Democratic attorney general in Manhattan had decided to take his witch-hunt to the next level,” a Trump spokesperson said. . President Trump is rightly highlighting his innocence and weaponizing our system of injustice. He will be in Texas next weekend to a huge crowd. Make America Great Again! Trump’s spokesman.