Donald Trump’s attorneys have been informed that they should anticipate an indictment in relation to a federal investigation into his efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, according to NBC News. The timing of the indictment was not specified in the report.
Special Counsel Jack Smith is currently investigating Trump’s actions to reverse his loss to Joe Biden in the 2020 election. Testimony from officials has revealed that Trump pressured them with false claims of widespread voter fraud during his final months in office. Additionally, his supporters attacked the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, in an attempt to prevent Congress from certifying Biden’s victory.
On July 18, Trump stated that he had received a letter from Smith indicating that he was a target of the investigation. Trump’s lawyers were recently seen at a Justice Department building, where they met with officials in Smith’s office. It is not uncommon for defense attorneys to meet with federal prosecutors before an indictment.
Trump is already the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges, which he has characterized as a politically motivated witch hunt. If indicted in the election case, it would mark a second round of federal charges from Smith, who was appointed by U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland in November.
Prior to this, Trump’s attorneys had met with Justice Department officials, including Smith, before a grand jury in Miami indicted Trump in June. In that case, Trump pleaded not guilty to a 37-count indictment accusing him of unlawfully retaining classified government documents after leaving office and obstructing justice. Prosecutors alleged that he jeopardized highly sensitive U.S. national security secrets.
The first charges against Trump were brought in March when a grand jury convened by Manhattan’s district attorney indicted him. In April, Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 charges related to falsifying business records concerning a payment to Stormy Daniels, a porn star, to secure her silence about a sexual encounter she claimed to have had with him before the 2016 election.
At 77 years old, Trump is currently leading a crowded field of Republican presidential candidates as he seeks a rematch against 80-year-old Biden next year.
