Former US President Donald Trump renewed his refusal to investigate what is known as the "Stormy Daniels" case, asserting his innocence and denying committing a felony or misdemeanor.
Trump is seeking to fortify his position against possible charges of paying actress Stormy Daniels to buy her silence on a sexual relationship, days before the 2016 election.
Trump told thousands of supporters at his first campaign rally on Saturday in Waco that "the New York prosecutor, under the auspices and direction of the Department of Justice, is investigating me for something that is not a felony, a misdemeanor, or an affair."
"I've never liked the horse's face," he said, the name Trump uses to refer to Daniels.
Waco was the scene of a confrontation between an anti-government group and federal security that killed him in 1993.
The Texas city, which is marking the thirtieth anniversary of the confrontation, has become a reference for far-right activists who praise its resistance to what they see as government excesses.
Before the rally, Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: "A big crowd in Texas, see you soon."
The political rally comes amid a wave of increasingly hostile rhetoric from Trump, who denounces a "witch hunt" by prosecutors he describes as "scum" who are pursuing him in cases in New York, Washington and Atlanta.
Trump, 76, who faced impeachment proceedings on charges of inciting insurrection, last week called on supporters to protest against Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Prague, and the former president predicted he would be "arrested" without providing proof.
Come right closer
Some of those who arrived in Waco from other states came excited to see Trump return to the Oval Office, many wearing baseball caps with the word "Maga," short for "Make America Great Again," or waving banners in support of his campaign.
Kelly Heath, 49, who came from Georgia, said: "We have a force behind Donald Trump that we haven't unleashed yet," adding: "You're going to be stunned."
Trump supporters went to the Waco Siege Monument, which commemorates about 80 people who died in the confrontation at a compound of David Koresh's followers after federal agents surrounded it in 1993.
The assistant pastor at the memorial site, Peter Christian, said Waco was in fact the center of the national movement to help America return to its roots and empower citizens to have constitutional rights.
The Houston Chronicle published an article Thursday accusing Trump of holding his festival on the thirtieth anniversary as a "shocking mouthpiece" for extremist supporters.
Mary Trump, his critical niece, wrote on Twitter that it was a hoax to remind his group of the infamous Waco siege of 1993, when an anti-government group fought the FBI.
"Dozens of people have died, and he wants the same violent chaos to save him from justice."
Trump is believed to be the favorite by a wide margin to win the Republican nomination to run for president in 2024.
Other potential rivals, led by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, initially refrained from criticizing Trump, but have recently begun criticizing his personality and the ongoing scandals surrounding him.
Trump is facing a federal investigation for trying to overturn the outcome of the 2020 election in which he lost and inciting deadly Capitol riots by his supporters to prevent a transfer of power to Joe Biden.