Donald Trump huddles with advisors after initial surprise of indictment

Events at Mar-A-Lago, which is Donald Trump’s Florida residence, were reportedly suspended for the weekend on Friday, as Trump was seen “huddling” with his legal team to thrash out a defense after a New York grand jury voted to indict him Thursday, The New York Post reported.

A source close to Trump and his team said they were initially “shaken” by the news.

The team is preparing for his arraignment before a New York City judge next week, on unknown charges related to hush-money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels during Trump’s 2016 presidential campaign.

“It won’t be business as usual,” the source told The Post regarding events at Mar-a-Lago.

“They expected this but there is shock now that it’s happened,” said the source.

“It’s real now. And they are worried about a surprise.”

Lawyers, including Susan Necheles, Joe Tacopina and Chad Seigel, are “chattering about whether there is something else in the indictment that people aren’t expecting,” said the source.

“There might be something else that has been overlooked.”

The source said that one issue they spoke to the DA’s office about is whether Trump will be handcuffed.  Trump’s legal team have said that they have agreed with the DA that Trump will not be cuffed.

According to the source, Trump wants to use the arrest to gain political support and donations to his 2024 presidential campaign.

He’s said to be leaning on longtime aides such as Jason Miller, who left his role in February as CEO of GETTR, a conservative social media site, to work as a senior advisor to the former president.

“Trump wants the mugshot out,” the source said.

“The funds will start flying in.”

On Thursday, following news of the indictment, a somber-looking Trump was spotted arriving for dinner at the Florida resort with his wife Melania, 52, at his side.

A source close to Trump told The Post Saturday that it was business as usual at the Trump resort, with no cancellation of events on Friday or Saturday.

The source said it had been “a typical Saturday” at Mar-a-Lago “with nothing out of the ordinary.”