In a recent turn of events, former President Donald Trump has publicly distanced himself from Sidney Powell, asserting that she was "never" his attorney. This statement comes on the heels of Powell's guilty plea in the Georgia election interference case.

Powell, who was among the 18 co-defendants indicted alongside Trump in Georgia in connection to their alleged efforts to overturn the state’s 2020 presidential election results, accepted a plea deal last week. She pleaded guilty to six misdemeanor charges and, as part of the agreement, will serve 12 months of probation for each count and pay a $6,000 fine.

Trump took to Truth Social, a social media platform, to clarify his association with Powell. He stated, “Sidney Powell was one of millions and millions of people who thought, and in ever-increasing numbers still think, correctly, that the 2020 Presidential Election was RIGGED & STOLLEN, AND OUR COUNTRY IS BEING ABSOLUTELY DESTROYED BECAUSE OF IT!!!” He further emphasized, “Despite the Fake News reports to the contrary, and without even reaching out to ask the Trump Campaign, MS. POWELL WAS NOT MY ATTORNEY, AND NEVER WAS.”

The former president also mentioned that Powell would have been conflicted in representing him, given her representation of his former national security advisor, Mike Flynn. Trump praised Powell for her efforts in representing Flynn, whom he described as "an innocent man" and whom he eventually pardoned.

Powell's plea deal has reportedly taken Trump and his inner circle by surprise. According to Trump insiders, the former president was "blindsided" by the development. Trump biographer Maggie Haberman commented on the situation, stating, “This caught Trump world by surprise as it did all of us. This was one of the best-kept secrets out of that D.A.’s office in some time.” She added, “They’re still trying to figure out what it means.”

While some members of Trump’s team do not view Powell’s plea deal as a significant concern for the former president, others are reportedly apprehensive that Powell might testify and reveal potentially damaging evidence related to Trump. Haberman noted the split in opinions, saying, “There’s nobody in Trumpworld who is pretending this is a good development. They’re just, you know, split on what exactly it means.”

The broader implications of Powell's plea deal on the ongoing case in Georgia remain to be seen. However, it's clear that the developments have sent ripples through Trump's camp, leading to public statements and speculation about the future trajectory of the case.