Donald Trump’s personal lawyer refused to defend his client’s social media post attacking New York County district attorney Alvin Bragg who is overseeing proceedings on the Stormy Daniels hush money case.
Joe Tacopina condemned Mr Trump’s Truth Social post in which the former president was seen wielding a baseball bat next to a photo of Mr Bragg’s head.
Mr Tacopina was asked by NBC’s Chuck Todd on Meet the Press on Sunday if he would “advise a client to personally attack a prosecutor like this”.
“I’m not his social media consultant,” he replied. “I think that was an ill-advised post that one of his social media people put up and he quickly took down when he realised the rhetoric and the photo that was attached to it.”
“You’re referring to the baseball bat thing... he didn’t shut down the other rhetoric,” Todd replied back.
The Truth Social post was widely considered as suggesting a dangerous call to violence against a prosecutor.
The composite picture was later taken down after outrage against Mr Trump.
The NCB host asked Mr Tacopina if he was not concerned that Mr Trump’s rhetoric could lead to a repeat of Jan 6, over which the former president has been accused of whipping up rhetoric and inciting mob violence against lawmakers.
“I’m not a Trump PR person. I’m a litigator and a lawyer,” Mr Tacopina said, while denying that Mr Trump’s rhetoric created violence on Jan 6.
“And I’m talking about this case in Manhattan, which is a case that would not be brought if it were anyone other than Donald Trump. When we seek to use a prosecutor’s office to politicise and weaponise a campaign, that’s what’s troubling to me.”
The Manhattan grand jury is investigating hush money payments Mr Trump is accused of making to adult actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Mr Trump has repeatedly denied any sexual relationship with Ms Daniels.
On Sunday, Mr Trump officially kicked off his 2024 campaign by praising the January 6 insurrectionists and called for a war on the “deep state” in Waco, Texas.
He opened the rally by playing the song “Justice For All” that featured a choir of men imprisoned for their role in the Jan 6 insurrection singing the national anthem and a recording of the former president reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
Some footage from the Jan 6 insurrection was shown as well.
“You will be vindicated and proud and the thugs and criminals who are corrupting our justice system will be defeated, discredited and totally disgraced,” the one-time president said in his speech.
US senator Mark Warner said he was briefed by the FBI over Mr Trump’s heated rhetoric against Mr Bragg.
“I have been briefed by the FBI. They say they are fully prepared,” Mr Warner, a Democrat and the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, told CNN on Sunday.
“They have seen no specific threats but the level of rhetoric on some of these right-wing sites has increased.”
The comments came after Mr Trump warned of “potential death and destruction” if he is charged in the case.
