Trump's 2024 GOP rivals react to the former president's indictment: 'Politically motivated'

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Bret Baier: Trump indictment is unprecedented

'Special Report' anchor Bret Baier reflects on the indictment of President Trump over hush money sent to Stormy Daniels on 'The Five.'

Several of Donald Trump's declared and potential rivals for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination have weighed in on the Manhattan grand jury indictment of the former president. 

"The politically motivated indictment of the 45th President of the United States marks a dark moment in American history," Vivek Ramaswamy said in a tweet.

Ramaswamy, a multi-millionaire entrepreneur, best-selling author, and conservative political commentator, declared his 2024 candidacy last month, and was outspoken in his criticism of the looming indictment.

"It will undermine public trust in our electoral system & justice system. It is un-American for the ruling party to use police power to arrest its political rivals. Principles go beyond partisanship. Let the American people decide who governs," Ramaswamy said.

TRUMP INDICTED FOR ALLEGED ROLE IN HUSH MONEY PAYMENTS TO ADULT FILM STAR

Trump is the first former president in American history to be charged with a crime. The grand jury indictment is under seal, but two law enforcement sources told Fox News that the charges would be filed. 

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has been investigating Trump's alleged involvement in hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in 2016, to keep her quiet ahead of that year’s presidential election over her claims she had sexual encounters years earlier with Trump. The former president denies sleeping with Daniels and denies falsifying business records to keep the payment concealed.

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Bragg has also been investigating a $150,000 payment made to former Playboy model Karen McDougal.

Former President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign event Monday, March 13, 2023, in Davenport, Iowa. (AP Photo/Ron Johnson) (AP )

Former two-term South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, who declared her candidacy six weeks ago, wrote on Twitter that "this is more about revenge than it is about justice."

Her tweet showcased aa recent interview on Fox News' "Special Report."

Haley, who served as ambassador to the United Nations during the first two years of the Trump administration, told Fox News' Brett Baier at the time that the looming indictment was a "political prosecution" and something that Bragg would "be doing for political points."

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who remains on the 2024 sidelines but who's expected to launch a presidential campaign in the coming months, tweeted that "the weaponization of the legal system to advance a political agenda turns the rule of law on its head. It is un-American.

"The Soros-backed Manhattan District Attorney has consistently bent the law to downgrade felonies and to excuse criminal misconduct," the Florida governor said. "Yet, now he is stretching the law to target a political opponent. Florida will not assist in an extradition request given the questionable circumstances at issue with this Soros-backed Manhattan prosecutor and his political agenda."

Former Vice President Mike Pence, who is also expected to launch a presidential campaign later this spring or summer, said in an interview Thursday night on CNN that "the unprecedented indictment of a former President of the United States on a campaign finance issue is an outrage."

"This appears to be one more example… of the kind of two-tiered justice system that the American people have had enough of," the former vice president added. 

Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, who's been making moves towards a 2024 bid, said in a statement obtained by Fox News that "this pro-criminal New York DA has failed to uphold the law for violent criminals, yet weaponized the law against political enemies."

"This is a travesty and it should not be happening in the greatest country on Earth. The presumption of innocence is central to our legal system, yet is selectively discarded by those on the far left today," the senator added. "As I travel the country, I hear from families starving for truth. They're starving for hope. They want the rules to apply to everyone."

Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Twitter following news of the indictment that "the Manhattan DA is undermining America’s confidence in our legal system. Bragg is the same Soros-funded prosecutor who refuses to prosecute violent crimes and who has downgraded more than half of all felonies to misdemeanors."

Pompeo, who served as CIA director and America's top diplomat during the Trump administration, is seriously mulling a run for the GOP presidential nomination. 

"Prosecuting serious crimes keeps Americans safe, but political prosecutions put the American legal system at risk of being viewed as a tool for abuse. DA Bragg — spend taxpayers’ money and your energy protecting law-abiding citizens. Not playing politics," said Pompeo, a Fox News contributor.

Former two-term Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson said in a statement that "it is a dark day for America when a former President is indicted on criminal charges. While the grand jury found credible facts to support the charges, it is important that the presumption of innocence follows Mr. Trump."

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"We need to wait on the facts and for our American system of justice to work like it does for thousands of Americans every day. Finally, it is essential that the decision on America's next President be made at the ballot box and not in the court system. Donald Trump should not be the next President, but that should be decided by the voters," added Hutchinson, who's making moves towards launching a Republican presidential campaign.

This is a developing story and will updated.