Trump Finally Indicted for the Third Time...Emerges as the Biggest Variable Ahead of the US Presidential Election (Comprehensive)

US Federal Grand Jury Indicts on 4 Charges
Third Indictment Including Classified Document Leak
Leading Republican Candidate Faces Major Variable in Presidential Race

Former U.S. President Donald Trump was indicted on the 1st (local time) for attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. This marks the third time Trump has been indicted. As the leading Republican presidential candidate ahead of next year's election, this indictment is expected to become a significant variable that could impact his future presidential campaign.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump [Photo by Reuters]

◆ Special Prosecutor: "Knew the truth but lied"... Six Co-conspirators Also Listed

According to the Washington Post (WP) and others, the U.S. federal grand jury decided to indict former President Trump on four charges. The indictment states that Trump attempted to obstruct the official process of the 2020 election and engaged in conspiracies to prevent votes and ballots from being counted, thereby defrauding the United States and violating the voting rights of Americans.

Jack Smith, the special prosecutor at the U.S. District Court for the District of Washington, pointed out in the indictment, "For more than two months after Election Day on November 3, 2020, the defendant continuously lied, engaging in fraudulent acts that influenced the election results, claiming that he was the actual winner." He added, "These claims were false, and the defendant was aware that they were false. However, the defendant deliberately spread these false claims to appear legitimate, creating an atmosphere of distrust and anger, thereby undermining public confidence in election administration."

Special Prosecutor Jack Smith Photo by AP Yonhap News

While Trump was spreading lies, his aides and government officials repeatedly tried to remind him of the facts, but Trump reportedly tried to ignore them, Special Prosecutor Smith added.

Federal prosecutors have long investigated whether Trump was connected to the Capitol riot carried out by his ardent supporters and the widespread claims of election fraud. Smith is said to have narrowed the investigation by summoning aides one by one, considering the possibility that Trump had conspired early on to promote election fraud claims around the time of the Capitol riot.

After the indictment was made public, Special Prosecutor Smith told reporters, "The January 6, 2021, Capitol riot was an unprecedented attack on American democracy," adding, "It was fueled by the defendant's lies."

Besides former President Trump, six unnamed co-conspirators were also included in the indictment. Based on the indictment, foreign media reported that five individuals appear to be co-conspirators: Rudy Giuliani, Trump's former lawyer; John Eastman and Sidney Powell, other lawyers; Jeffrey Clark, a former Department of Justice official; and Kenneth Chesebro, a lawyer close to Trump.

◆ Trump Claims "Political Persecution"... Foreign Media Call It a "Rare Moment in U.S. History"

Regarding this indictment, former President Trump is scheduled to appear in court on the 3rd. Special Prosecutor Smith told reporters that day, "We will expedite the trial related to this case," adding, "The evidence we have gathered will be tested in court and judged by a citizen jury."

With this indictment, Trump has now been indicted three times for violations of federal law, including the illegal leaking and possession of classified documents.

In June, he was indicted by federal prosecutors on 37 counts, including leaking and illegally possessing classified information, hiding documents under investigation, and making false statements. Trump is the first former or sitting U.S. president to be indicted in federal court. Separately, he is also on trial in New York for allegedly paying hush money to adult film actress Stormy Daniels to cover up a sexual scandal just before the 2016 election.

Until now, such judicial risks have often served to unite Trump's support base. However, this indictment is linked to the defense of democracy and is regarded as a significant variable that could affect Trump's future presidential campaign.

Since there is no clear alternative candidate within the Republican Party, and Republican supporters overwhelmingly back Trump, he is highly likely to be nominated as the party's candidate for next year's election. In this context, the Democratic Party has announced that current President Joe Biden will seek re-election. As a result, the 2024 U.S. presidential election is increasingly shaping up to be a rematch between President Biden and former President Trump.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

According to a poll conducted by The New York Times (NYT) and Siena College from the 23rd to the 27th of last month, surveying 1,329 voters and released on the same day, 43% of respondents said they would support either President Biden or former President Trump in the 2024 election, resulting in a tie.

Following the indictment, Trump's camp issued a statement claiming that the indictment is a politically motivated prosecution and political persecution by the Biden administration against the leading Republican presidential candidate. They also questioned why the indictment was made now, two years after the January 6 Capitol riot. Earlier that day, Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social, predicting that Special Prosecutor Smith would indict him at 5 p.m.

The White House declined to comment officially on the indictment, with White House spokesperson Ian Sams stating only, "We will leave it to the Department of Justice, which is independently conducting the criminal investigation."

WP reported, "Former President Trump faces tremendous difficulties," adding, "As the leading Republican presidential candidate for next year, he is expected to juggle court hearings and criminal trials alongside his political campaign over the coming months." NYT described the indictment as a "rare moment in American history," where a former president seeking re-election is charged with attempting to overthrow democracy and maintain the presidency against the will of voters by abusing government power.

Ultimately, the outcome of the upcoming trial is expected to significantly influence the landscape of next year's U.S. presidential election.

Foreign media report that if Trump is found guilty in this indictment, he could face up to 20 years in prison. However, considering that Trump has no prior criminal record, Bloomberg News predicts that even if convicted, the sentence is likely to be much less than the maximum. Bloomberg also noted that there is no provision in the U.S. Constitution that prohibits a person indicted or serving a sentence from running for or assuming the presidency in relation to the charges against Trump.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.