An image of a USA flag, and a Trump 2020 presidential flag.

Katie Nelmes

Former US President, Donald Trump, has been indicted on four charges relating to the 2020 election and the Capitol riots which took place on 6th January 2021.

What is an indictment?

An indictment is defined as a formal accusation, and it is one of the first steps a prosecutor takes to bring a case to trial. It states that it is believed a person has committed a crime, and contains basic information about the charges being brought against them.

What are the charges?

This indictment relates to the 2020 presidential election, which elected Joe Biden as president. Trump infamously claimed that the election was stolen from him and that he had the right to remain in power. Therefore, he plead “not guilty” to the indictment charges.

The investigation focuses on Trump’s actions from the election day in November 2020, to the Capitol Riots on 6th January 2021.

The former president has been indicted on four charges:

  • Conspiracy to defraud the United States
  • Conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding
  • Obstruction and attempted obstruction of an official proceeding
  • Conspiracy against rights

Trump’s response to the indictment

Trump described the indictment as a “great badge of honour” and he remains committed to running as the Republican presidential candidate in 2024. He also referred to the indictment as a “witch hunt,” and believes that his involvement in these court cases will strengthen his support base.

What other trials does Trump face?

This is the third indictment Trump has faced. While this most recent indictment is commonly regarded as the most serious because of its implications for democracy, the full extent of his charges go much further.

He was criminally charged in a case in New York City, related to hush money payments to prevent stories about his alleged affairs from being released during his 2016 presidential campaign. Stormy Daniels, an adult film actress who said she had an affair with Trump, was paid $130,000 to not sell the story. This payment violates election laws.

The US Department of Justice also charged Trump with keeping classified documents after he left office. Some of these documents were found at his home in Mara Lago, Florida. Some of these documents allegedly contained information about nuclear weapons, which he showed to people who did not have security clearance.  Trump is also accused of obstructing justice because he tried to hide the fact that these documents were kept in his Mar-a-Lago estate.

What could happen next?

Federal Judge Tanya S. Chutkan, has been assigned to the indictment case and she is known for taking a harsh line against the Capitol rioters.

“He became the first-ever US president to be charged with a federal crime”

The indictment relating to the 2020 election lists six other co-conspirators. These individuals remain anonymous but are alleged to include a Justice Department official and an attorney.

Trump has already made history in other ways. He became the first-ever US president to be charged with a federal crime during the classified documents case, and the first to face criminal charges in the Stormy Daniels case. This is in addition to an estimated 4,000 other cases Trump has faced in his life.

As these cases are ongoing, it is currently unclear whether Trump will face time in prison. The January 6th case carries a maximum charge of five to 20 years in prison. Trump has warned his supporters that he could face a much harsher sentence because of “crooked Joe’s corrupt DOJ” and “the Left’s witch hunts.” However, this outcome would rely upon Trump being convicted of all counts, in all cases, and serving the maximum sentence for each one.

Regardless of these indictments, Trump seems committed to running to resume his role as president in 2024. So far, Trump is leading his Republican opponents in the polls, making him the current most likely Republican candidate.

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Featured image courtesy of Dalton Caraway on Unsplash. No changes were made to this image. Image licence found here.

Katie is a final year Politics university student and an aspiring political journalist, currently working as a Twitter Editor for Empoword Journalism!

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