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NEW YORK — The Manhattan grand jury that has been hearing testimony about hush money paid on Donald Trump’s behalf will not take up that inquiry again this week, meaning any potential vote on an indictment won’t happen until next week at the earliest, two people said Tuesday.

The panel did meet on Monday, and a longtime Trump friend and potential key witness in the investigation was seen leaving the building where the grand jury has been meeting.

The grand jury has been meeting regularly on Monday and Wednesday afternoons, but did not hold last Wednesday’s session and met last Thursday for other unrelated matters.

Trump himself has ratcheted up anticipation that an indictment could be near by posting on his social media platform that he expected to be arrested imminently. His representatives later said that they had not received any such indication on timing from Manhattan prosecutors.

The Manhattan district attorney’s office, which is leading the investigation, has taken several steps seen as signaling that it could be close to wrapping up, including inviting Trump to testify.

The people who confirmed that no additional action related to Trump was expected this week were not authorized to speak publicly about secretive grand jury proceedings and did so on condition of anonymity. A message left with the district attorney’s office was not immediately returned.

NBC News was first to report the development.