Trump defends Lindsey Graham and other allies as Georgia jury report reveals they narrowly avoided charges

Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox

Get our free Inside Washington email

Please enter a valid email address

Please enter a valid email address

SIGN UP

I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy

Donald Trump defended Senator Lindsey Graham after learning the Fulton County, Georgia grand jury wanted to charge the senator in its election interference case alongside the former president.

The grand jury’s full report was released on Friday, prompting backlash from Mr Trump.

“The Georgia Grand Jury report has just been released. It has ZERO credibility and badly taints Fani Willis and this whole political Witch Hunt. Essentially, they wanted to indict anybody who happened to be breathing at the time. It totally undermines the credibility of the findings, and badly hurts the Great State of Georgia, whose wonderful and patriotic people are not happy with this charade of an out of control ‘prosecutor’ doing the work of, and for, the DOJ. ELECTION INTERFERENCE!” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.

The report includes the recommendation for charges against Mr Graham and former GOP senators from Georgia David Perdue and Kelly Loeffler.

Fani Willis, the Fulton County District Attorney, did not opt to bring charges against any of the three.

The grand jury ultimately recommended charges against 39 people, more than double the number Ms Willis went on to indict. It completed its report after spending seven months listening to statements from 75 witnesses.

Despite Mr Trump’s feelings on the report, he is still facing a perilous situation in Georgia; with 18 co-defendants facing charges, there is a significant risk that one or more could flip and cooperate with the Fulton County District Attorney’s Office.

Mr Trump’s former attorney, Michael Cohen, recently advised the co-defendants to “speak now,” as the sooner they agree to cooperate the more valuable their information will be to the district attorney.

At least three co-defendants have already issued defences through their attorneys claiming all of their actions were taken at the behest of Mr Trump, according to Politico.

Mr Trump’s former attorney Jenna Ellis — who has become increasingly antagonistic toward the former president in recent months — is likely being eyed by the district attorney as a possible cooperator, especially after her old boss refused to pay for her legal defence.

There is no evidence that she has been approached about flipping on Mr Trump nor that she would do so if she was. However, she has questioned why Mr Trump did not issue a blanket pardon before leaving office and asked why the MAGA political machine isn’t defending her and the other co-defendants.

“I was reliably informed Trump isn’t funding any of us who are indicted,” Ms Ellis wrote in a post on X/Twitter. “Would this change if he becomes the nominee? Why then, not now? I totally agree this has become a bigger principle than just one man. So why isn’t MAGA, Inc. funding everyone’s defense?”