WASHINGTON – Donald Trump has indicated he believes the New York indictments are just the beginning – and that's why he is bracing his legal team for what could be a long and difficult battle. Last week, Donald Trump surrendered to authorities and was arraigned in a Manhattan courtroom on thirty-four felony charges stemming from his alleged involvement in a hush money scheme to buy the silence of two women who claimed to have had affairs with him.
The charges against Trump include tax evasion, bank fraud, and campaign finance violations. It doesn't seem like any scandal can derail the former—and possibly future—president. Trump's lawyer contends that the surge in media coverage of the former president's indictment has tainted potential jurors in the civil case brought by the women who received the hush money payments.
As the news cycle churns on one week after former President Trump was charged in Manhattan criminal court on 34 felony counts over a hush money payment, the White House is mostly staying silent. President Biden has not commented on the matter, and his press secretary, Jen Psaki, says the president is focused on his agenda.
Former first lady Melania Trump, who did not appear beside her husband during his New York court appearance, has issued a statement warning of the dangers of "political persecution." She called the charges against her husband "baseless" and "politically motivated." Melania also said she stands by her husband and believes he will be vindicated.
A week after the arraignment of Donald Trump, we're learning new details about a covert effort by Russian and Chinese-backed actors aimed at influencing the 2020 presidential election. According to intelligence officials, these actors were seeking to sow chaos and confusion in the U.S. political system, and they saw Trump as a key ally in their efforts.
Donald Trump told the National Rifle Association conference that he would end Joe Biden's "war" on guns and vowed to protect ownership rights. The former president also criticized the media for not covering his achievements in office and accused Democrats of trying to undermine the Second Amendment.
Lawyers for former President Donald Trump asked a judge to delay the start of a sexual assault and defamation trial for one month to allow a change of venue. The trial is scheduled to take place in Manhattan, but Trump's lawyers argue that the "inflammatory" media coverage of the indictment could prejudice jurors.
