President Trump has been indicted by a federal grand jury on counts relating to his attempt to interfere with the 2020 presidential election and his actions during the January 6th insurrection.
What are the charges?
The former president faces four counts in the new indictment:
Count 1: Conspiracy to Defraud the United States
Count 2: Conspiracy to Obstruct an Official Proceeding
Count 3: Obstruction of and Attempt to Obstruct an Official Proceeding
Count 4: Conspiracy Against Rights
Read the full text here.
The federal grand jury arrived at this decision of indictment based on evidence that they felt proved Trump’s attempt to interfere with a fair election, and his efforts to remain in power after he lost the 2020 presidential election.
Is This a Precedent? Not for Trump
Trump posted on Truth Social ahead of the indictment announcement, suggesting that he expected an indictment from Jack Smith and his team of federal prosecutors very soon after he received a target letter from Special Counsel Jack Smith the week before.
For context, in the case of classified documents, Trump received a target letter approximately 20 days before his indictment. He revealed that he received a similar letter concerning the Jan. 6 events on July 16. Additionally, Trump's legal team recently convened with special counsel Jack Smith, much like a previous consultation before a grand jury decision on a different matter in June.
Other Cases Against Trump
Another grand jury has also indicted Trump in Florida, where he is being investigated for retaining classified documents after his presidency. Trump was originally indicted there in June 2023, but a new indictment was released in July, including three additional charges related to the intentional retention of documents and obstruction.
Allegations include Trump's purported collaboration with two aides, Carlos De Oliveira, the Mar-a-Lago property manager, and Walt Nauta, Trump’s valet, to erase Mar-a-Lago surveillance footage. While Walt Nauta had prior charges, Carlos De Oliveira was newly implicated as a co-accused. Additionally, Trump's vocal criticism of Smith has intensified, especially with the spotlight back on the grand jury proceedings in D.C.
Aside from the Jan. 6 investigation, there's talk of another possible indictment in Georgia. Fulton County District Attorney, Fani Willis, hinted that charges in a major case could be unveiled in the upcoming weeks, which would add a fourth indictment to Trump’s trophy case of crime. These potential charges will come from the Fulton Grand Jury, and are focused on Trump’s additional attempt to interfere in the 2020 presidential election, and attempted election fraud in Georgia.
What Does This Mean Going Forward?
Ultimately, while this is the third - and potentially not the last - indictment for Trump, it does not necessarily bar him from running in the upcoming election. However, Trump’s various court dates and proceedings run directly into campaign season, severely crippling his ability to remain on the public stage. Instead, he will remain in the court of the people he acted against.