A grand jury impaneled by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg voted to indict Donald Trump on Thursday, marking the first time in American history that a former president has been charged with a crime. The exact nature of the charges against Trump has not been publicly disclosed at this time.
News of the indictment comes after weeks of speculation over Bragg's investigation into alleged hush-money payments from Trump to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential campaign to hide their sexual affair. Trump himself prematurely predicted Thursday's indictment on his Truth Social account in mid-March, urging followers to "PROTEST, TAKE OUR NATION BACK!" and setting off an intense round of political posturing ahead of Bragg's ultimate decision.
On Thursday evening, Trump's lawyer, Susan R. Necheles, said her client is expected to turn himself in on Tuesday for arraignment in Manhattan. Trump has reportedly told advisers that he wants to be handcuffed publicly as part of his arrest in order to create a "spectacle" that would help garner sympathy and support from the public.
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While Thursday's indictment is itself a historical first for the nation, it is not the only legal peril Trump faces as he embarks on his third presidential campaign. He is also being investigated in Fulton County, Georgia, by District Attorney Fanni Willis, over his alleged attempts to subvert that state's 2020 election results. Federal prosecutors led by special counsel Jack Smith are also investigating Trump for both his role in the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, and alleged mishandling of classified documents recovered at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida once he'd left the White House.
This is a developing story and will be updated as new information is made available.
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