A grand jury in Manhattan has charged Donald Trump following an investigation into payments made to silence pornographic actress Stormy Daniels, making him the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges while attempting another run for the presidency.
The charges, resulting from an investigation led by Democratic Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, could reshape the 2024 presidential race. Trump has previously stated that he will continue his campaign for the Republican nomination even if criminal charges are filed against him. He affirmed in a statement that he is "completely innocent."
He described the situation as "political persecution and interference in the election at the highest level in history," without providing any evidence. Shortly after, he urged his supporters to contribute financially for his legal defense. Trump's campaign claims he has raised over two million dollars since he incorrectly predicted on March 18 that he would be arrested four days later.
The specific charges are not yet known and are expected to be revealed by a judge in the coming days. Trump will then need to travel to Manhattan to be fingerprinted, among other procedures. Bragg's office stated that they contacted Trump's attorney to coordinate his surrender, and a knowledgeable person indicated that this is likely to happen early next week.
Trump's attorneys Joseph Tacopina and Susan Nickles said they will "vigorously fight" the charges, while another attorney, Alina Habba, predicted an acquittal.
The investigation in Manhattan is one of several legal challenges facing Trump, and the charges may hinder his efforts to return to the presidency. About 44 percent of Republicans believe he should withdraw from the race if charges are brought against him, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll conducted last week. Trump’s allies and fellow Republicans have criticized the charges as politically motivated, while Democrats say he is not above the law.
The White House declined to comment.
Daniels, whose real name is Stephanie Clifford, claims she was paid to keep silent about a sexual relationship with Trump in 2006. Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal attorney, stated he coordinated with Trump regarding the payments to Daniels and another woman, a former Playboy model who also claimed to have had a sexual relationship with him. Trump has denied having relations with either woman.
Clark Brewster, Daniels' attorney, tweeted, "No one is above the law."
Cohen pleaded guilty to campaign finance violations in 2018 and served over a year in prison. Federal prosecutors alleged that he acted under Trump’s direction.
No former or current U.S. president has faced criminal charges before. Trump served as president from 2017 to 2021 and was impeached twice by the House of Representatives; first in 2019 for Ukraine-related conduct and again in 2021 for the attack by his supporters on the Capitol. He was acquitted by the Senate both times.
Trump claims that his defeat in the 2020 election against Democrat Joe Biden was due to widespread fraud. He leads his competitors for the Republican nomination, receiving the support of 44 percent of Republicans according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll in March, compared to 30 percent for his closest competitor, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who has not yet announced his candidacy. Biden is expected to seek reelection.
In 2018, Trump initially denied knowledge of the payment made to Daniels but later admitted to reimbursing Cohen for the amount, describing it as a "simple private transaction."
Trump is also facing two other criminal investigations. The first, led by Fulton County, Georgia District Attorney Fani Willis, pertains to whether he illegally tried to overturn his defeat in the 2020 election in that state. Special Counsel Jack Smith is also separately investigating Trump's handling of classified government documents after leaving office and his attempts to overturn the 2020 election results.
