Trump warns that ‘Biden indictments’ against him opened ‘Pandora’s box’: ‘Joe, be very careful what you wish for’
Former President Donald Trump addressed a raucous crowd chanting his name at Cipriani’s flagship location on New York’s Wall Street Saturday evening, rallying the faithful and warning President Biden that indicting a former commander-in-chief would be a two-way street should he return to the White House.
“He’s opened up a Pandora’s box that will never let our country be the same. I can only say to Joe: Be very careful what you wish for, but you have done is a terrible thing,” Trump thundered to roughly 1,000 assembled guests, who dined on wild mushroom risotto and filet mignon.
The swanky event was sponsored by the New York Young Republican Club.
“I am being indicted for you. These are not indictments in the traditional sense. These are Biden indictments against their political opponent,” the 77-year-old 2024 frontrunner said.
Trump faces 91 felony counts from four separate state and federal probes — something he repeatedly bragged about.
“I am the first guy who ever got indicted whose poll number went up,” he said in jest while comparing himself to notorious gangster Al Capone.
Trump vowed to win the GOP primary and the White House in the 2024 presidential election — and said he would even win the deep blue Empire State.
“We’re going to take New York,” Trump said to applause. “I believe we have a great chance … With hundreds of thousands of people living on the sidewalks and streets and illegal aliens invading our city and state like nobody thought possible.”
Trump laced into his political enemies as well, mocking Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as “DeSanctimonious,” and his former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley as “birdbrain.” He savaged New York Attorney General Letitia James as “peekaboo James” and a “vicious lunatic.”
Trump spoke after a lengthy evening which also featured remarks from Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kansas) and Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.).
About 30 minutes before speaking, Trump enjoyed dinner at a roped-off table and was spotted in deep conversation with New York Young Republican Club President Gavin Wax. He was also briefly treated to a personal serenade from the aptly named Hungarian violinist Zoltan Maga.
Master of Ceremonies Alex Stein made light of Trump’s legal troubles by joking that he hoped the former president went to jail because it would help with “the black vote.”
Among those spotted in a VIP cocktail hour ahead of the ceremonies included Rep. Cory Mills (R-Fla.) Rep. Lauren Boebert (R-Col.) and Andrew Giuliani. Former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon also purchased his own table for the event — where individual tickets ran about $700 a head.
New York City GOP Councilwomen Vickie Paladino and Inna Vernikov were also in attendance. Vernikov herself was honored by Trump on stage — who approvingly noted that he kept reading about her in the press.
“That’s why I wanted to see her,” Trump said after exchanging a kiss on both cheeks.
“Well, that was not planned,” Vernikov texted The Post from her table.
Former New England Patriots Defense End Jake Bequette was also on hand, carrying a Super Bowl ring he allowed admirers to pose for pictures with. Vish Burra, a top aide to former Rep. George Santos — who was expelled from Congress last week after a cascading series of corruption allegations — was also spotted schmoozing and defending his former boss, whom he lovingly called “the Princess Diana of our generation.”
Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani sat at a table with his former NYPD Commissioner Bernard Kerik.
As in years past, the event has an international flair. Miklos Szantho, the head of the right-leaning Hungarian Center for Fundamental Rights, and Hungary’s Ambassador to the US Szabolcs Takács both delivered brief remarks from the main stage.
