'I'm pained', says Ivanka Trump after father Donald Trump's indictment

Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump, in her first public statement since her father's indictment, said that she is "pained" for both former US President Donald Trump, her dad and America her country. In a statement on Instagram, Ivanka wrote: "I love my father, and I love my country. Today, I am pained for both." "I appreciate the voices across the political spectrum expressing support and concern," she added.

Ivanka served as a White House aide during the former Republican leader's tenure as the US president. She had declined to be a part of her father's 2024 presidential campaign saying she had chosen "to prioritise my young children and the private life we are creating as a family". Trump's son-in-law and the ex-senior White House adviser, Jared Kushner, and his daughter moved to Miami after spending four years in Washington, DC, after they served in the former Trump administration.

Trump calls indictment 'political persecution'

Trump, who was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury, is scheduled to be arraigned at 2:15 p.m. Tuesday in Merchant's courtroom in New York City, according to American broadcasters. The Republican leader called his indictment "political persecution" as he also berated the ruling Joe Biden administration for "election interference at the highest level in history". He had also previously condemned the investigation into the 2016 "hush money" involving the American porn star Stormy Daniels as a "witch-hunt" against him that will "backfire massively" on sitting US President Joe Biden.

"This is political persecution and election interference at the highest level in history. From the time I came down the golden escalator at Trump Tower, and even before I was sworn in as your President of the United States, the radical left Democrats -- the enemy of the hard-working men and women of this country - have been engaged in a witch-hunt to destroy the 'Make America Great Again' movement," Trump wrote on Truth Social. "You remember it just like I do: Russia, Russia, Russia; the Mueller Hoax; Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine; Impeachment Hoax 1; Impeachment Hoax 2; the illegal and unconstitutional Mar-a-Lago raid; and now this," he continued, labelling charges against him as "politically motivated," he added. 

Trump accused district attorney, Alvin L. Bragg of "doing Joe Biden's dirty work" in silencing his political opponent. "Rather than stopping the unprecedented crime wave taking over New York City, he's doing Joe Biden's dirty work, ignoring the murders and burglaries and assaults he should be focused on. This is how Bragg spends his time!" he said.

Trump's eldest son, Donald Trump Jr, launched a scathing attack against the “corrupt elites” for indicting his father. “Our corrupt elites aren't threatened by violent criminals on the streets because all of them have private security. They don't care if normal people are being terrorised. But they are threatened by Trump, which is why they're willing to turn us into a Banana Republic to stop him!” he wrote.