Former President Donald Trump has declared his intention to turn himself in at the Fulton County jail on Thursday, where he will be posting a bond of $200,000. This decision comes in response to charges accusing him of illegally attempting to overturn the results of Georgia’s 2020 election. Trump’s agreement to surrender was reached during negotiations with the office of Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis. The former president himself confirmed this development on his newly established social media platform, Truth Social, expressing a mix of incredulity and frustration.
Trump conveyed that he would be traveling to Atlanta, Georgia, to be “ARRESTED by a Radical Left District Attorney, Fani Willis…” He went on to claim that this was a coordinated effort involving what he referred to as “Crooked Joe Biden’s DOJ,” characterizing the situation as a politically motivated witch hunt.
Initial reporting on Trump’s forthcoming surrender came from CNN, and this was later corroborated by a filing in the Superior Court of Fulton County that detailed the bond order. The bond order was officially signed by Judge Scott McAfee, Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis, and members of Trump’s legal team.
According to the terms of the agreement, Trump will be required to pay an $80,000 bond for his release in connection with the first count of the indictment, which alleges a violation of Georgia’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) Act. Additionally, he will need to post a separate $10,000 bond for each of the remaining 12 counts outlined in the indictment. These charges encompass a range of offenses including criminal solicitation, criminal conspiracy, filing false documents, and making false statements.
Trump will have the option to post the bond in various forms such as cash, through a commercial surety, or by using the “Fulton County Jail 10% program.” As part of the agreement, he is also obligated to adhere to both state and federal laws, comply with court directives, refrain from intimidating co-defendants or witnesses, and abstain from discussing the case facts with them.
Trump’s legal team, comprised of attorneys Todd Blanche, Jennifer Little, and Drew Findling, negotiated the terms of his bond and release conditions with Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis’ office.
Trump, along with 18 associates, including former White House chief of staff Mark Meadows and ex-Mayor Rudy Giuliani, was indicted on August 14. This marks the fourth instance of criminal indictment against the former president since his departure from office. Bond agreements were also concurrently reached with some of Trump’s co-defendants.
John Eastman, another individual named in the case, is planning to surrender on Wednesday in relation to a separate disciplinary case with the State Bar of California. Willis has stipulated a deadline of noon on Friday for Trump and his co-defendants to surrender. She has also proposed a trial start date of March 4 for the case.