And we are seeing his republican allies really rally around him. And in some ways, they are ramping up the rhetoric to defend him. Some of them are calling for the special prosecutions investigation to be defunded. They are saying that donald trump cant get a fair trial in dc. Of course, its being held here, the scene of the alleged crime because it is a left leaning city. They refer to it as the swamp. But remember, Donald Trumps second indictment, which is in florida. The trial will take place there. Florida is his home state. Its also a republican leaning state, and its one that he won twice in the last two president ial elections. The former president is facing four federal criminal charges in this indictment, including Conspiracy To Defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempting to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against the rights of citizens. The indictment also mentions six alleged co conspirators, but none of them have been charged. The group, includes four attorneys, a former Department Ofjustice official and a political consultant, that allegedly aided trumps criminal efforts. Analysts believe they are former Trump Lawyers rudy giuliani, john eastman, and sidney powell, along with former doj official Jeffrey Clark and lawyer kenneth chesebro. A sixth co conspirator, described in the document as a political consultant, has not been identified. Earlier my colleague carl nasman spoke with former Trump White House lawyer ty cobb on the uphill legal battle the former president is facing. Thank you for coming on to speak with us. Youve actually called the evidence in the former president s classified documents case overwhelming. Im sure youve taken a look now at this indictment. Whats your assessment of the evidence here in this case . 50. Your assessment of the evidence here in this case . Here in this case . 50, i think this case here in this case . 50, i think this case is here in this case . 50, i think this case is equally this case is equally overwhelming. You know, prosecutors are a little bit like artists in the sense that they have stylement jack smiths style is to put together a detailed narrative that a layperson can understand, that condenses complex matters into much more simple terms that can be easily understood. So thats what you see in both the mar a lago case and in this case. And he details the facts that support the four criminal charges with great clarity. Makes frequent use of references to the Vice President , the chief of staff, the attorney general. All people who will end up being forceful and significant witnesses at a trial. Its witnesses at a trial. Its interesting witnesses at a trial. Its interesting as witnesses at a trial. Its interesting as well, witnesses at a trial. Its interesting as well, because you are a former white house lawyer for donald you are a former white house lawyerfor donald trump. You are a former white house lawyer for donald trump. Given those insights, how do you think his current legal team will be able to mount its defense in this indictment . Whats their strategy here . Well, one of trumps difficulties is following the instructions of his lawyers. The mar a lago case is an excellent example in the sense that im sure that Evan Corcoran advised the former president not to destroy, hide or otherwise impair the documents associated with the requests by the fbi and the related subpoenas. And he went behind his lawyers backs and co ordinated with mar a lago personnel to have them move boxes its on tape. And then return fewer boxes after the fbi left. So, thats a clear indication of a president who has difficulty following his lawyers advice. Particularly when he thinks his self interest. When he thinks his self interest. When he thinks his self interest. ,. , interest. Just curious, as one of his interest. Just curious, as one of his former interest. Just curious, as one of his former lawyers, i interest. Just curious, as one of his former lawyers, how do you deal with a situation like that . Do you deal with a situation like that . �. ,. ,. , like that . So, im not one of his former like that . So, im not one of his former lawyers. Like that . So, im not one of his former lawyers. I like that . So, im not one of his former lawyers. I never. His former lawyers. I never represented him personally. My allegiance was to the constitution and the white house as an institution. He did have personal lawyers who worked on the matter that i worked on the matter that i worked on, but there is a distinction between white House Counsel and his personal lawyers. But i did advise him with regard to the demands and interests of the special counsels office and strategies for responding honourably to get through that process which we ultimately did successfully by demonstrating there was no there, there. Its very difficult when a client will not follow advice. And youve seen countless lawyers resign or be fired by this president , former president. And youve seen the great difficulty that hes had building a legal team. Hes now got multiple lawyers for multiple cases. Thats not ideal. It would be better to have a hardcore set of lawyers managing everything so that there would be no slip ups. But it is perilous if youre a client to ignore your lawyers advice, and he does it routinely. I advice, and he does it routinely. Advice, and he does it routinely. Advice, and he does it routinel. ,. ,. ,. , routinely. I ust want to ask ou routinely. I ust want to ask you now. Routinely. I just want to ask you now, while routinely. I just want to ask you now, while we routinely. I just want to ask you now, while we still routinely. I just want to ask| you now, while we still have routinely. I just want to ask i you now, while we still have a bit of time here. There was a new detail much of what was in the indictment was already publicly known from the january 6 investigation. But we now know that Vice President mike pence took some notes of his conversations with the president at the time, donald trump. What role do you think the Vice President , mike pence, might play in terms of this case . �. , i. Might play in terms of this case . �. ,. , case . So im glad you asked that question. Case . So im glad you asked that question. I case . So im glad you asked that question. I think case . So im glad you asked that question. I think the. That question. I think the Vice President s conduct throughout this investigation has been misrepresented. Its suggested that he was forced to testify. He was never forced to testify. He was never forced to testify. He was never forced to testify. He had two constitutional issues that he had to raise as a matter of democracy so the courts could resolve them. But he never hesitated to testify once the court decided that the questions involving his dual capacity as a legislator when he was certifying the election and his Vice Presidency was not and his Vice Presidency was not a significant enough distinction to prevent the grand jury from receiving his testimony. He went in and immediately testified fully. Its clear from the indictment, the references testimony frequently. And its also clear that his testimony is quite damning for the former president. Mil damning for the former president. Damning for the former resident. � ,. , ,. , president. All right, tycobb, a former trump president. All right, tycobb, a former Trump Administration | former Trump Administration lawyer, thank you very much for your insights. The indictment comes as mr trump is leading the polls for the republican nominee for president , far ahead of his leading rival Florida Governor ron desantis. The latest New York Times sienna poll puts trump in a head to head with incumbant democratic president joe biden. If the election were today, the polls show biden claiming 43 of registered voters. Tying with former President Trump who also sits right at 43 . Earlier i asked pollster and communication strategist frank luntz for his thoughts on Republican Voters as we inch closer to the start of the primary season. Frank, great to have you back on the bbc. You have been speaking with Republican Voters around this indictment on the january 6 investigation. What have you found . I january 6 investigation. What have you found . Have you found . I found that the re have you found . I found that theyre willing have you found . I found that theyre willing to have you found . I found that theyre willing to give have you found . I found that theyre willing to give him i have you found . I found that theyre willing to give him a| theyre willing to give him a pass. That theyre willing to. They see this as victimization. They see this as persecution. And in fact, what ifound is persecution. And in fact, what i found is that every time he gets indicted, his numbers go up. Every time hes accused of something that would destroy any other candidate, he becomes more popular. And the same thing seems to be happening right now. Hes coming across as standing up to the government, standing up to washington, and its making him stronger and stronger at a time when everyone else would have cut and run. When everyone else would have cut and run when everyone else would have cut and run. How do you explain that, frank . Cut and run. How do you explain that, frank . What cut and run. How do you explain that, frank . What makes cut and run. How do you explain that, frank . What makes that l that, frank . What makes that message from the former president so effective with his base, with voters . President so effective with his base, with voters . They connect to him. Base, with voters . They connect to him and base, with voters . They connect to him. And they base, with voters . They connect to him. And they have base, with voters . They connect to him. And they have since base, with voters . They connect to him. And they have since the| to him. And they have since the very beginning. I watched this in 2015, that the more you criticize him, the stronger he got. President more you challenge him for his language, for his behavior, for things that would disqualify anyone else. For calling people cowards, for insulting them and using epitats that would get someone in the bbc fired. Every time trump went higher and higher. They think hes authentic. They think that he fights for hill. Them. And thats the key, republicans thinks that donald trump speaks for them and thats how hes able to survive indictment after indictment after indictment. I5 after indictment after indictment. After indictment after indictment. Is there any concern indictment. Is there any concern among indictment. Is there any concern among those i indictment. Is there any concern among those voters that he will be running an Election Campaign while going on trial in possibly four cases . In possibly four cases . Yes, theres concern. In possibly four cases . Yes, theres concern. But in possibly four cases . Yes, theres concern. But not in possibly four cases . Yes, l theres concern. But not when its put that way. When they have to consider four more years ofjoe biden thats the moment that they freeze. Thats the moment that they think maybe this isnt the right decision. And the second weakness for trump is that he says a lot, but he didnt deliver on many of the things that he said. He promised a wall that mexico would pay for. It never happened. He promised to repeal obamacare. It never happened. He promised to drain the swamp. We have higher wasteful washington spending than ever before. He promised to Pay Attention to the debt. Its out of control. On issue after issue, his rhetoric is dead centre for activist republicans, but the record is not as good as the rhetoric. If you look at the latest New York Times sienna polls, they show Thatjoe Biden and donald trump are neck and neck at about 43 for voters when asked about the choice for president. What do you make of that . find choice for president. What do you make of that . Choice for president. What do you make of that . And the same oll has you make of that . And the same poll has donald you make of that . And the same poll has donald trump you make of that . And the same poll has donald trump at you make of that . And the same poll has donald trump at over. Poll has donald trump at over 50 against all of the other republican, potential republican, potential republican nominees. It defies gravity. It defies common sense. But people need to start to consider the absolute at theial fact that donald trump could potential fact that donald trump could return. And what the consequences of that means for the country. I5 consequences of that means for the country the country. Is there anything that the remember the country. Is there anything| that the remember republican candidates could do to breakthrough . Candidates could do to breakthrou~h . , breakthrough . Yes. I believe that Ust Breakthrough . Yes. I believe that just delivering breakthrough . Yes. I believe that just delivering Attack Thatjust delivering attack doesnt work. And having researched this, so you speak of trumps promises, and being able to deliver what donald trump promised i can get it done. I can make this happen. I know how to do this. And, I Will Never Weaponise government the way the democrats are weaponising government. Not taking a position on any of this. But that language absolutely works. As of now, no one is using it and donald trump still has the language of the republican base, which is why hes so popular. [30 the republican base, which is why hes so popular. Why hes so popular. Do you think that why hes so popular. Do you think that donald why hes so popular. Do you think that donald trump why hes so popular. Do youj think that donald trump can why hes so popular. Do you think that donald trump can win a General Election . A General Election . Yes, i do. I never would a General Election . Yes, i do. I never would have a General Election . Yes, i do. I never would have said a General Election . Yes, i do. I never would have said this. I never would have said this nine months ago. I would have said that it was absolutely impossible. But ill be candid with you. I didnt see january 6. I didnt see election day 2020. I could not imagine that things that no american could ever perceive as happening to the country has happened. And trump refuses to fall. There is a lesson here in perseverance. It may not be a good lesson. But you only fail, you only lose if you give up. And if weve learned anything about donald trump he never, ever gives up. Donald trump he never, ever gives urn gives up. Frank, thank you so much for gives up. Frank, thank you so much for your gives up. Frank, thank you so much for your insights gives up. Frank, thank you so much for your insights today. | new information coming in about the situation in niger. Us Secretary Of State blink Antony Blinken has spoken to the leader there. Blinken has spoken to the leaderthere. He blinken has spoken to the leader there. He told them that the us is committed to restoring nigers democratically elected government and that theyre dedicated to finding a peaceful resolution that ensures that niger is a partner in security and develop mr blinkens call comes as tensions rise between west african nationsment on tuesday night, Nigeria Cut Off the supply of electricity to niger. It accounts for 70 of the countrys power. The world bank said that it suspended aid to niger. And in a meeting, Defense Ministers from countries in the west African Regional bloc, ecowas, looked at using force adding that they would only do so as a last resort. The leader of nigers coup flew to the capital to meet with the leader who seized power there in 2021. Mali and burkina faso, which is also ruled by a militaryjunta, ruled by a militaryjunta, ruled that any use of would constitute a Declaration Of War against their countries as well. On wednesday night, the United States said that it would evacuate its nationals from the country. Paris has confirmed it evacuated nearly 1,000 people, including 560 french citizens after its embassy came under attack from demonstrators on sunday. In a televised address in the last few hours, nige es self appointed Military Leader insisted french nationals had nothing to fear, but insisted that his government would not give in to regional or International Pressure to reinstate nige refreshing a elected leader. Translation at the National Council for translation at the National Council for the translation at the National Council for the safeguard translation at the National Council for the safeguard of. Council for the safeguard of the homeland rejects the dissensions in their entirety and refuses to give into any pressure from any quarter. We reject any interference in the Internal Affairs of our country and reject the claims by some and reject the claims by some and others to punish the National Council for the safeguarding of