Donald Trump took to social media on last week to stir up his mob.

¡°The far & away leading Republican candidate & former president of the United States of America, will be arrested on Tuesday of next week,¡± he said on truth social, his bespoke website, fashioning his post like a ransom note. ¡°protest, take our nation back.¡±

A Trump spokesman had to clear up things soon afterward. He said that Trump had no idea about the timing of an arrest, much less on a Tuesday. But Trump¡¯s post served its purpose. A number of Republicans, including Kevin McCarthy, Mike Pence, Elise Stefanik and Marjorie Taylor Greene rushed to his defense. Trump, they said, is a victim.