Donald Trump being jailed would place US 'on brink of second civil war'

Donald Trump could find himself behind bars at New York City's notorious Rikers Island after being found guilty in his hush money trial - and experts fear serious retaliation from supporters.

There are fears this could spark "mass protests and civil unrest" due to the polarized nature of American society ahead of the 2024 election.

Trump has been the battling frontrunner in the polls with current Democrat President Joe Biden - but being found guilty on all 34 counts in his New York trial represents a huge risk to his hopes.

Even worse is the prospect of a jail sentence - and many say Rikers Island is a possible destination.

Neama Rahmani, ex-federal prosecutor and president of West Coast Trial Lawyers in the US, told Daily Express US that the prospect of Trump being jailed might trigger "mass protests and civil unrest."

He echoed the sentiments of Sarah Palin, the former Alaska governor and Republican vice-presidential nominee who predicted in August that a second US civil war will happen over the Trump prosecutions.

Palin told Newsmax: “Those who are conducting this travesty and creating this two-tier system of justice, I want to ask them what the heck, do you want us to be in civil war? Because that’s what’s going to happen.

“We’re not going to keep putting up with this.”

Rahmani, who speculates that Trump would be sent to Rikers Island should he be found guilty, voiced his concerns regarding potential reactions from some of his more extreme supporters.

Speculating on the potential scenario, he remarked: "That's the most likely. Obviously, you're talking about Trump having Secret Service protection, even in jail. So logistically, it would be a nightmare...I don't know if Rikers could accommodate that.

"We've never had a situation where there's been an inmate that had protection like that...but Rikers would be the most likely given the proximity to the courthouse."

He continued: "It may lead to mass protests and civil unrest. [Trump] would rail out on Truth Social. And the thought of Trump being jailed for any period of time is problematic from a public policy perspective.

"The country is already so divided. And there are a significant percentage of American people that believe Trump is being treated unfairly and railroaded by our criminal justice system...But just the images or videos of him in custody, I mean that would really be something else."

On whether imprisonment would impact Trump's case, Rahmani said: "I think it would just fuel the fire...No lawyer has been able to control Trump's behavior. I can't imagine jail time making a difference."

Rahmani believes Trump would need to be "completely isolated" from other inmates at Rikers, adding: "There's no way he could have interactions with any other inmates."

Trump's popularity appears to surge with each indictment, as evidenced by his poll numbers.

A Morning Consult poll from August 2023 indicated an increase in perceptions of Trump's electability following the release of his Georgia mugshot, with his support climbing by nine percent among those who believe he has the best shot at defeating President Joe Biden come November.

Rahmani suggested that Trump's poll numbers might soar even higher if he were to be incarcerated.

He remarked: "It's never happened, you know, a former president, and maybe the next president, being jailed."

In contrast to what might be expected, Rahmani pointed out, "I would say any other defendant or any other candidate in the country, they would see their poll numbers tank."

However, Trump defies the norm, as Rahmani elaborated: "But Trump is an enigma every time he's indicted. When he faces some sort of civil or criminal legal problem, his poll numbers seem to bounce."

Rahmani concluded with the observation that Trump has a knack for turning situations to his benefit: "He will take advantage of it financially and politically. He's always come out ahead."