Donald Trump, the former US President, has been indicted by a grand jury in New York over payments made to a porn star during his 2016 presidential campaign. This historic indictment makes Trump the first former US President to face criminal charges.
The charges are related to payments made to adult movie actress Stormy Daniels, which Trump denies any wrongdoing. The indictment is expected to have a significant impact on the current presidential race, as Trump hopes to regain office.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office has contacted Trump’s lawyers to coordinate his surrender for arraignment in New York. He could face up to 30 counts related to business fraud.
Trump has slammed the indictment as political persecution and election interference, while his allies and sons have denounced it as a vendetta aimed at derailing his 2024 campaign. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is expected to challenge Trump for the Republican party nomination, has called the indictment “un-American.” The top Republican in the House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, has said that the indictment has irreparably damaged the country.
The impact of the indictment on Trump’s election chances is unpredictable, with critics and adversaries alike voicing concerns about the legal merits of the hush money case. Trump is seen as the frontrunner to be the Republican nominee in the 2024 election, and the indictment is likely to juice turnout among his base, boosting his chances in the party primary.
Trump also faces felony investigations in Georgia relating to the 2020 election and in Washington over the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol by his supporters. He has branded all of the investigations political persecution.
