Former US President Donald Trump has lashed out on social media after claims he will likely face charges for his role in hush-money payments given to porn star Stormy Daniels.
Trump's lawyers were informed by the Manhattan district attorney's office that the ex-president could face criminal charges over the $130,000 (£110,000) payment ahead of the 2016 presidential election, citing four sources close to the investigation.
The former president has been invited to testify before a grand jury, which legal experts believe that there is a high chance of criminal charges to follow.
He wrote on TRUTH Social Thursday: "I did absolutely nothing wrong, I never had an affair with Stormy Daniels, nor would I have wanted to have an affair with Stormy Daniels."
Trump lay the blame on those who wanted to stop him from winning again in 2024, he believes he was the leading candidate of the next presidential election.
He added: "Congress, numerous Democrat District Attorneys, Attorneys General, and the Department of Injustice itself, which has unprecedentedly placed top DOJ prosecutors into the Manhattan District Attorney's office in order to 'get Trump', have found that I did nothing wrong.
"Now, they fall back on the old, and rebuked case which has been rejected by every prosecutor's office that has looked at this Stormy 'Horseface' Daniels matter, where I relied on counsel in order to resolve this Extortion of me, which took place a long time ago. Since then, I have won lawsuits."
Trump was given the option to appear before a state grand jury by the prosecutors.
The jury was assembled since January and has been hearing evidence in the case, generally a sign that an individual will be indicted.
Several of Trump's top advisers have been spotted going into the Manhattan district attorney's office in recent days.
Some of the advisors include former counsellor to the president Kellyanne Conway and ex-White House communications director Hope Hicks.
No ex-president of the United States has ever been slapped with criminal charges after leaving office, an indictment of Trump will make American history.
A Trump indictment could also complicate the 2024 presidential election, as he announced his candidacy in November and continues to lead most GOP polls.
If Trump was convicted - which is a long shot - he would be sentenced with up to four years in prison, though serving time would not be mandatory.
He already escaped being charged with a crime for his role in the hush-money payments by federal investigators.
His former lawyer turned critic, Michael Cohen, was the only person ensnared in the federal probe.
He facilitated the payments between Trump and Daniels and also Playboy Playmate McDougal, both of whom claimed to have had sexual relations with the married businessman and reality TV star.
Cohen has met with prosecutors 18 times through several iterations of the probe he told the Associated Press after another meeting with them last week.
He said the investigation was 'really progressing' and he expected to soon be called before the grand jury.
'The level of specificity to which they are attacking the various issues is extraordinary,' the former Trump lawyer said.
Trump's actions are also under scrutiny in Georgia, as Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis investigates whether crimes were committed when Trump and his allies tried to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
