Will Donald Trump be arrested in hush money indictment case
Donald Trump became the first-ever United States (US) former president to face criminal charges after a New York grand jury on Thursday voted to indict him. While the charges are yet to be made public, the grand jury has been probing hush money payments he made during his presidential campaign in 2016 to porn star Stormy Daniels. Here's what's next for Trump now.
Why does this story matter?
This development comes at a time when Trump has begun campaigning for the 2024 presidential election, and it may have a significant impact on his White House bid. Since its initial stages, Trump's presidential campaign has been mired with controversies, most notably when he dined with Holocaust-denying white supremacist Nick Fuentes and with Ye (earlier known as Kanye West), who made several anti-semitic remarks.
Details on Trump's hush money indictment
The former US President is currently under investigation for money payments to two women who allegedly had sex with him, including a reported $130,000 payment made right before the 2016 presidential election to silence adult film star Daniels over a previous affair. As per the Associated Press, the federal investigators finished their own probe into the payment in 2019.
Details on Trump's future in hush money case
Earlier, Trump's lawyer claimed that his team would "follow normal procedures" if he got indicted. It is expected that the former US President will surrender. As per reports, Trump would have his mug shot and fingerprints taken as part of the protocols for a felony arrest in New York. Usually, defendants are detained for numerous hours until all procedures are completed.
No handcuffs for Trump: Defense lawyers
Amid the case's unprecedented nature, defense lawyers predict that it is highly unlikely that the 76-year-old will be paraded into a courtroom with handcuffs. In addition, the New York Police Department and the Secret Service will be on high alert for potentially violent protests. Notably, Trump retained his Secret Service detail as a former president and will always have his agents by his side.
Impact on Trump's 2024 White House bid
This indictment poses additional uncertainty in Trump's way for the presidential nomination in 2024. While it doesn't pose any legal bar to Trump fighting for the nomination, political experts are divided over whether it would benefit him by consolidating his base further or push Republican voters toward other potential candidates, mainly Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.
Trump's reaction to indictment
Reacting to the indictment, Trump said, "The Democrats have cheated countless times over the decades, including spying on my campaign." "But weaponizing our justice system to punish a political opponent, who just so happens to be a President of the United States and by far the leading Republican candidate for president, has never happened before. Ever," he added, as per Hindustan Times.
Know the difference between indictment and arrest
While an indictment is a formal charge of a crime, an arrest is when an individual is taken into custody. If defendants are informed of an impending arrest or an indictment, they usually arrange to turn themselves in. When Allen Weisselberg, former finance chief of Trump's company, was indicted in Manhattan on tax fraud charges in 2021, he turned himself in at a courthouse.
