A week earlier, Donald Trump claimed – wrongly – that he would be “arrested” on March 21 in New York.
Four days later, the former American president, threatened with indictment, offers himself this Saturday his first campaign meeting for the presidential election.
The ex-president, implicated in a case of payment to the pornographic actress Stormy Daniels, will go on stage at 5 p.m. local time (22h GMT), for his "first
rally for the 2024 election
".
The choice of location is highly symbolic: the Texas city of Waco, 130,000 inhabitants, was the scene 30 years ago of a murderous assault against a sect opposed to federal power, that of the Branch Davidians.
In the spring of 1993, the world was suspended for 51 days by the FBI's siege of a ranch in which armed followers of guru David Koresh had entrenched themselves.
Seventy-six members of the sect, including 20 children, were found dead after the ranch fire.
Four police officers were also killed.
Donald Trump's campaign team did not respond to requests from AFP as to the choice of Waco for the meeting.
But the former president, also under threat from investigations into his 2020 Georgia election lobbying and handling of classified White House records, regularly poses as a victim of a mysterious 'shadow state
'
. .
The spectacular FBI search of his residence in Florida?
“
A shocking abuse of power
”.
The two infamous congressional impeachment proceedings against him?
"
A witch hunt
".
Breathe new life into your campaign
Up to 15,000 people are expected Saturday in Waco.
By finding his base in a meeting, Donald Trump is reconnecting with an exercise he loves.
The scenes of the former president, in the process of sketching small dance steps, or throwing his famous red caps to the crowd are now cult among his followers.
In the Texas city, some of his fans were already stamping with impatience on Friday evening, visibly unconcerned by the legal troubles of their idol.
"
Everything is distorted to give him a bad image
," Kelly Heath, 49, told AFP, seeing it as an attempt to "
silence
" him.
Above all, this meeting offers the Republican the opportunity to breathe new life into his campaign, which for the moment does not enjoy the expected momentum even if most polls give him the winner of a primary.
The billionaire, who continues against all odds to evoke supposed "
frauds
" never proven in the 2020 election, has also seen part of the right - and in particular his wealthy donors - turn to the new champion of the right tough, Ron DeSantis, 44.
The governor of Florida is not yet officially launched in the race but will undoubtedly be one of his biggest rivals for the Republican nomination in 2024.