Donald Trump said he expects to be arrested this week. Now he's called for people to protest.

Former US president Donald Trump is in some serious hot water.

According to the man himself, there could be an arrest this week - potentially imploding his 2024 Presidential candidacy run. But Trump said he isn't going to let that stop him. And now, he's calling for his fans to protest...

Recently, there's been special counsel criminal investigations into Trump's retention of classified documents and efforts by him and his allies to undo his 2020 election loss.

The issues specifically are Trump's retention of classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida after leaving office in January 2021 and attempts to interfere with the peaceful transfer of power following Trump's loss to President Joe Biden.

And it doesn't stop there. 

Manhattan District Attorney's office is considering criminal charges related to hush-money payments made to a porn star during Trump's 2016 campaign, and to other women who alleged sexual encounters with him.

And this week it may reach a head. 

BIG BREAKING: Former President Donald J. Trump posts on his social media platform, Truth Social: “WILL BE ARRESTED ON TUESDAY OF NEXT WEEK. PROTEST, TAKE OUR NATION BACK!”

— Ali Velshi (@AliVelshi) March 18, 2023

"Illegal leaks from a corrupt and highly political Manhattan district attorney's office ... indicate that, with no crime being able to be proven ... the far and away leading Republican candidate and former President of the United States of America, will be arrested on Tuesday of next week," Trump wrote on his social media app 'Truth Social' this weekend.

"Protest, take our nation back!" he then said.

If he is indicted by the grand jury, an arrest would only occur if he failed to surrender.

Once again looking to have encouraged a riot, it's been two years since Trump supporters stormed the US Capitol building on January 6, 2021, trying to overturn his 2020 presidential election defeat.

He famously said at the time: "We fight like hell. And if you don't fight like hell, you're not going to have a country anymore. We will never give up, we will never concede. It doesn't happen."

Watch the moment when the Capitol is stormed. Story continues below.

In November, Trump announced he was seeking the 2024 Republican presidential nomination. 

It wasn't surprising for many, considering he said at his 2020 election loss that he in fact had not lost but won the previous election, claiming to be a victim of voting fraud.

After exhaustive fact-checking from experts, it was found that there was little to no evidence of voter fraud.

Recently, Trump regained access to his old social media accounts, like YouTube, Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. He was cut off following the 2021 attack on Congress by his followers.

Many political commentators now say they're concerned Trump will use his combined 146 million followers across the platforms to call for protests.

Trump now leads his early rivals for his party's nomination, holding the support of 43 per cent of Republicans.

Although Trump didn't share what sources had told him he is facing a potential arrest, it does somewhat mirror recent reports circling. 

Over the weekend, it was said law enforcement officials are making security preparations for the possibility that Trump will be indicted soon.

A grand jury has been hearing from witnesses including former Trump lawyer Michael Cohen.

Cohen says he orchestrated payments in 2016 to two women to silence them about sexual encounters they said they had with Trump a decade earlier. It's testimony that certainly isn't helping Trump.

And just this week, a new judge took over leadership of the United States trial court in Washington — therefore inheriting oversight into this Trump drama.

It's this chief judge that has sole discretion over sealed federal grand jury proceedings. Interestingly, no sitting or former president has ever been indicted.

Trump also faces a $US250 million ($A374 million) civil fraud lawsuit brought by New York state, alleging a decade-long scheme to manipulate more than 200 asset valuations and Trump's net worth to win better terms from banks and insurers. He has called the suit a "witch hunt".

Trump isn't the only presidential candidate for 2024 in the hot seat. President Joe Biden's handling of classified documents after leaving the vice presidency is also under question. 

While Trump has an extensive history with civil litigation, both before and after his Presidency, a criminal charge would take things to the next level. 

No US president while in office or afterward has faced criminal charges. But as the saying goes — "never say never." 

With AAP.

Feature Image: Getty.