Former President Donald Trump is making history as the first former US president to face criminal charges. With his third presidential bid for 2024 underway, the stakes are high for both him and the country. Here's a breakdown of the four criminal cases he is currently involved in:
Hush Money Case
In March 2023, Trump was indicted by the Manhattan district attorney on state charges related to a hush-money payment made to an adult-film star in 2016. Prosecutors allege Trump was part of an illegal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 election by suppressing negative information, including a $130,000 payment. Trump has pleaded not guilty, and the trial is set to begin on April 15.
Classified Documents
In June 2023, a federal grand jury in Miami indicted Trump for taking classified national defense documents from the White House after leaving office and resisting government attempts to retrieve the materials. Trump and his aide have pleaded not guilty. On July 27, the special counsel charged Trump with three new counts, including willful retention of national defense information.
Election Interference
Trump's third indictment stems from an investigation into alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election. The indictment alleges Trump and a co-conspirator attempted to exploit the violence at the Capitol to delay the certification of the election results. Trump pleaded not guilty to all four counts.
Fulton County Case
In August 14, 2023, an Atlanta-based grand jury indicted Trump and 18 others on state charges related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Some individuals have pleaded guilty. Charges brought by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis cover overt efforts by Trump and his allies to meddle in the election. Trump pleaded not guilty, and on March 13, 2024, a judge dismissed six counts from the indictment, including three related to Trump.
