Data: Axios Research; Table: Jacques Schrag/Axios
The possible indictment of former President Trump this week is just one of several legal challenges weighing on the leading Republican presidential nominee in 2024.
Why it matters: An indictment would be historic — no U.S. president has ever been criminally indicted — but the legal troubles swirling around Trump don’t stop with the Manhattan DA.
- Trump faces several other high-stakes cases — including investigations into his efforts to undermine the 2020 election results, handling of presidential records and business fraud — that are taking the Republican frontrunner into uncharted territory.
Driving the news: A Manhattan grand jury appears to be closing in on an indictment as part of the year-long probe into Trump’s role in paying adult film actress Stormy Daniels hush money in 2016.
- Citing “ILLEGAL LEAKS” from the Manhattan Attorney’s office, Trump took to Truth Social over the weekend to predict he will be arrested as part of the investigation this week.
- Trump called the case against him “COMPLETELY DEBUNKED” and urged his supporters to “PROTEST, TAKE BACK OUR NATION.”
Zoom out: The looming possibility of indictment comes amid several other legal investigations into the ex-president.
Trump is also under criminal investigation by a special counsel in two high-profile federal cases.
- Attorney General Merrick Garland hired veteran prosecutor Jack Smith to lead the Justice Department’s investigation into Trump’s efforts to disrupt the legitimate transfer of power after the 2020 election.
- Smith is also said to be investigating whether Trump illegally kept secret documents in Mar-a-Lago and obstructed government efforts to get them back.
In another case in New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a civil complaint accusing Trump and his family of financial fraud.
- James, who is trying to permanently bar Trump and members of his family from running a business in New York, claimed the former president “falsely inflated his fortune by billions of dollars.”
- In January, a judge declined to dismiss James’ lawsuit against Trump, increasing the likelihood that the former president will face trial later this year.
- Because this is a civil case, James cannot file criminal charges against Trump, but he could still face hefty fines and restraints if he loses the case.
go deeper: Timeline: The investigation into Trump’s alleged hush money payment to Stormy Daniels
