Sen. Bob Menendez on potential resignation: ‘We will announce it when it comes time’

US Senator Bob Menendez, Democrat of New Jersey, and his wife Nadine Arslanian, arrive at the US District Court, Southern District of New York, in New York City on September 27, 2023.

Timothy A. Clary | AFP | Getty Images

WASHINGTON — Sen. Bob Menendez of New Jersey on Wednesday seemed to open the door to resigning over his bribery indictment after having previously flatly ruled out leaving the Senate for that reason.

Asked by NBC News if he was planning to resign, Menendez replied that he “will announce it when it comes time.”

Menendez and his wife, Nadine, were charged in Manhattan federal court two weeks ago with taking bribes in the form of hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash, gold, a luxury car, and home mortgage payments in exchange for the Democratic lawmaker using his office to try to help three New Jersey businessmen with various issues.

Menendez until Wednesday had said he would not resign despite most Senate Democrats calling on him to do so.

He, his wife, and the trio of businessmen are set to go on trial beginning May 6.