Donald Trump's 2024 presidential campaign is only three weeks old, and it's been nothing but nightmares so far: He's faced setbacks in court, dismal polls, scandals of his own making — then today his company was convicted of tax fraud.
Why it matters: He doesn't even have an opponent yet. But Trump is struggling to regain his frontrunner's luster after those disappointing midterm setbacks.
- A series of polls pitting Trump against his expected 2024 rival, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, has stirred unease within Trumpworld.
Run today's tape:
- Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith subpoenaed local election officials in Arizona, Michigan and Wisconsin for their communications with Trump and his allies as part of the department's investigation into Trump's efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
- House Jan. 6 committee Chairman Bennie Thompson (D-Miss.) said the committee is closing in on making criminal referrals to the Justice Department, with a final decision expected by the end of the week.
- The Trump Organization was convicted by a New York jury of conducting a 15-year scheme to defraud state and federal tax authorities, and faces up to $1.6 million in fines. Trump and his family members involved in the business were not charged.
Backing up a few more days:
- Trump drew massive backlash from Republicans for hosting a dinner with antisemitic rapper Ye (formerly known as Kanye West) and white nationalist Nick Fuentes, as well as pushing for the suspension of the Constitution.
- An appeals court dropped the Trump team's effort to appoint a special master to review documents seized from Mar-a-Lago.
- The Supreme Court denied Trump's bid to block the House Ways and Means Committee from obtaining his tax returns.
- A federal judge ordered Trump's former White House lawyers to provide additional grand jury testimony, dealing a blow to Trump's attempt to exert executive privilege in the Justice Department's investigation into the Jan. 6 Capitol attack.
Yes, but: GOP primary voters have proved immune to scandal and bad headlines as recently as Trump's last election bid.
