On Tuesday, Donald Trump was indicted on felony charges related to his actions to overturn the 2020 presidential election and his alleged involvement in the violent riot at the U.S. Capitol. The Justice Department is holding him accountable for attempting to obstruct the peaceful transfer of power.
The four-count indictment sheds light on a dark period in American history, revealing details such as handwritten notes from former Vice President Mike Pence, documenting Trump’s persistent goading, and how Trump tried to exploit the violence of the January 6, 2021, riot to retain his position in office.
This criminal case is particularly significant, given the serious allegations that a former president actively attacked the foundations of democracy in a desperate but ultimately unsuccessful bid to cling to power. The charges include conspiring to defraud the U.S. government, an institution he once led.
The indictment accuses Trump of repeatedly lying about the election results and ignoring pleas from some aides to tell the truth. Instead, he allegedly conspired with others to manipulate vote totals in his favor. The document also states that even after the Capitol building was cleared of violent protesters, Trump tried to exploit the chaos by pushing to delay the certification of the election results.
Federal prosecutors argue that Trump was “determined to remain in power” and that his actions directly targeted the core process of collecting, counting, and certifying presidential election results, which is essential to the functioning of the U.S. government.
This is the third criminal case brought against Trump as he seeks to run for the White House in 2024. Despite being a significant threat to American democracy, the charges are likely to be dismissed by Trump and his supporters as politically motivated. The indictment focuses on the tumultuous two months after the 2020 election, during which Trump refused to accept his defeat and propagated baseless claims of a stolen victory, culminating in the violent Capitol riot on January 6, 2021.
The indictment was expected after Trump revealed in mid-July that the Justice Department had informed him he was a target of their Jan. 6 investigation. A bipartisan House committee also recommended prosecuting Trump for charges like aiding an insurrection and obstructing an official proceeding, following months of investigating the events leading up to the Capitol riot.
Despite the mounting criminal and civil cases against him, Trump’s pursuit of the 2024 presidency remains unaffected. A conviction in this or any other case would not prevent him from running for the White House or serving as president.
