In a historic move, a Manhattan jury has unanimously voted to indict former President Donald Trump on unknown charges. This marks the first time in US history that a former president has faced criminal charges. The prosecution is being led by Alvin Bragg, who received financial support from billionaire far-left extremist donor George Soros during his campaign.
The exact nature of the charges against Trump is currently unknown but reportedly relates to a $130,000 payment made by Trump's former lawyer Michael Cohen to adult film star Stormy Daniels in 2016 as hush money. Federal prosecutors previously decided not to charge Trump over this matter back in 2019 despite Cohen's testimony.
Trump's attorney Joe Tacopina said that the former president was "shocked" upon hearing about the indictment through media reports and that they were discussing it with Secret Service. However, his legal team has vowed to fight what they call "political persecution" in court.
Several potential GOP presidential contenders have focused their reaction on Bragg rather than Trump himself. Nikki Haley, Ron DeSantis and Mike Pence are among those considering running for president in 2024.
It remains unclear how these criminal charges will impact Trump's political future or any other ongoing investigations into his conduct while serving as president.