FULTON COUNTY, Ga. — Former President Donald Trump said he will be in Atlanta to turn himself in Thursday in the Georgia 2020 election case.
He is one of 19 defendants named in the Fulton County election interference indictment.
The former president posted to his social networking site Monday night, saying he will be arrested for making "a perfect phone call." This news comes as his bond was set at $200,000 in Fulton County. His attorneys were able to negotiate a bond agreement in advance of Trump's surrender, with conditions that includes limiting his social media use.
Securing a bond order in advance assures that a defendant who surrenders will not have to spend more than a few minutes being processed at the jail before they can leave.
Video from MSNBC shows his legal team entering the Fulton County courthouse Monday afternoon.
Trump faces 13 charges tied to his alleged efforts to overturn the election. He was one of five defendants who sought and were granted consent bond orders Monday. Of the five, Trump's bond, at $200,000, was the highest.
All 19 defendants have until noon Friday to turn themselves in.
Fulton County Sheriff Patrick Labat said Monday that the jail, in northwest Atlanta, will be on lockdown with maximum security sealing off the property when Trump arrives to be fingerprinted and photographed.
“The sheriff has been very clear," said Atlanta Attorney Darryl Cohen Monday night, "he said this is going to be the same as any other arrest. Well, that's true. But no, not really. Because the Secret Service will be at the jail there. They've cordoned off everything.”
Trump's bond order was signed Monday by Trump's three Atlanta attorneys, along with Fulton County DA Willis and Judge Scott McAfee,
Judge McAfee included in the bond order several restrictions on what Trump is allowed to say or post online about the case; Trump is forbidden, for example, to say or write anything that the judge considers threats--against victims, witnesses, co-defendants, the community, and possibly others.
Trump’s attorneys were not commenting to reporters at the courthouse Monday about whether Trump may find it difficult to comply with the bond order, as Cohen believes he will, "at least based on his history," Cohen said. "Because when he pops off, and he will, will the DA's office ask that his bond be revoked? Or will they look the other way and keep their mouth shut? It's going to be very interesting.".
In the meantime, former White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows is asking a federal judge to dismiss his charges in Fulton County. He argues he's immune to state charges for work he did under Trump following the 2020 election, citing provisions he's entitled to in the U.S. Constitution. Meadows is also attempting to move the Georgia case against him to federal court. A hearing for this motion is set for Aug. 28.
Attorneys for other co-defendants say they are also negotiating consent bonds. For updates on when bond is set for a co-defendant and when they surrender to Fulton County authorities, check this story.