Former President Donald Trump has been indicted by a Manhattan grand jury, marking a historic event as he becomes the first person to have served as the U.S. commander in chief and subsequently be charged with a crime [4]. The indictment came as a result of years of investigations into Trump’s personal, political, and business dealings, and could potentially impact his bid to retake the White House next year [1].
Although the exact charges remain under seal, it is likely that Trump will be charged with a violation of New York penal code 175.10, which involves falsifying business records [2]. Sources have indicated that Trump could face at least 30 charges, some of which may be related to the alleged $130,000 hush money payment documented as “legal expenses” [5]. The payment was made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election and has been a subject of investigation for years [7].
Despite the indictment, Trump’s lawyers have stated that the former president will not resist surrender and is expected to plead not guilty in court [10]. In response to the news, Trump’s presidential campaign reported raising over $4 million within 24 hours of the indictment announcement [10].