MIAMI, FLORIDA: Former president Donald Trump recently revealed that he expects to be indicted soon in the Department of Justice's (DOJ) investigation into the January 6 Capitol riot in 2021. The DOJ's probe focuses on Trump's alleged involvement in efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election, which culminated in a mob of his supporters storming the Capitol in an attempt to challenge President Joe Biden's victory.
Will Trump be arrested again?
Special Counsel Jack Smith, who is overseeing the high-profile investigation, has also been looking into whether Trump improperly stored classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago residence. Trump has consistently denied any wrongdoing and accused prosecutors of pursuing politically motivated charges against him. In a post on his social media platform, Truth Social, Trump criticized Smith's actions, stating, "Deranged Jack Smith, the prosecutor with Joe Biden's DOJ, sent a letter (again, it was Sunday night!) stating that I am a TARGET of the January 6th Grand Jury investigation, and giving me a very short 4 days to report to the Grand Jury, which almost always means an Arrest and Indictment."
Former US Attorney Gene Rossi weighed in on the matter, suggesting that the timing of the letter indicates that an indictment against Trump is imminent. Rossi emphasized the significance of a target letter, stating that it is a strong indication of being charged in 95 percent of cases. He also remarked on the gravity of the evidence allegedly against Trump, given the abundance of testimony before the grand jury. "Put a fork in him, President Trump will surely be indicted," Rossi told Newsweek on Tuesday, July 18. However, Rossi speculated that Trump might choose not to testify before the grand jury to avoid potential perjury or obstruction charges. He suggested that testifying could inadvertently provide prosecutors with significant evidence pertaining to the indicted charges.
The DOJ's investigation initially focused on the Capitol riot but has since expanded to encompass fake elector schemes. Trump allies have been accused of planning to submit false slates of pro-Trump electors from states he narrowly lost. Despite these efforts to undermine the election results, multiple investigations and recounts attest to the integrity of the 2020 election.
How many times has Trump been arrested?
Trump has already faced two indictments this year. In the first case, he was charged with falsifying business records in connection with the Manhattan District Attorney's investigation into an alleged hush money payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign. Trump has pleaded not guilty to all charges and maintained his innocence throughout.
The second indictment came from the DOJ's investigation into the classified documents case related to his Mar-a-Lago residence. Federal prosecutors accused Trump of removing classified documents, including those concerning US military plans, from the White House after leaving office and obstructing government efforts to retrieve them. Trump pleaded not guilty to the 37 counts in this case and argued that the documents were declassified, though legal experts have raised doubts about his assertion.
'We can't keep dealing with this drama'
Nikki Haley, the former South Carolina governor and United Nations ambassador who is currently challenging Trump in the GOP primary, appeared on Fox News and referred to a potential indictment as a "distraction" amid the primary. "The rest of this primary election is going to be in reference to Trump," she said. "It's going to be about lawsuits. It's going to be about legal fees. It's going to be about judges. And it's just going to continue being a further and further distraction. That's why I'm running—is because we need a new generation leader. We can't keep dealing with this drama."
