- Former US President Donald Trump has been charged in connection with attempted election interference and the attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
- This emerges from the indictment, which was published on Tuesday evening (local time). He is charged with four counts.
- The Republican denies all allegations.
It is the second federal charge against the 77-year-old and the third charge against the ex-president for a crime. Trump wants to run again for the Republicans in the presidential election next year. He denies all allegations and sees any legal action against him as an attempt by his opponents to prevent him from returning to the White House.
Trump’s campaign team fumed that the charges were another attempt by President Joe Biden’s administration to interfere in the 2024 presidential election. This is reminiscent of what happened in Nazi Germany and other authoritarian regimes. Trump has always obeyed the law.
Unprecedented outbreak of violence
Republican Trump lost the 2020 presidential election to Democrat Biden. He never admitted his defeat, but has since stubbornly spread unsubstantiated claims and lies that massive electoral fraud robbed him of a victory.
After the elections, Trump and those around him tried various ways to subsequently overturn the result – including with lawsuits, but also with political pressure on decision-makers at federal level and in various states.
Legend:
Former President Donald Trump visits campaign workers in Des Moines, Iowa. (Image dated July 18, 2023)
Keystone/AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall
Trump’s campaign against the outcome of the election finally culminated in an unprecedented outbreak of violence on January 6, 2021: On that day, Republican supporters stormed the seat of the US Congress, where Biden’s election victory was to be formally confirmed at the time.
Grand jury approves indictment
Trump had once again goaded his supporters in a speech shortly before, claiming that he had been deprived of a victory by massive election fraud. A violent mob then invaded Congress. Five people died in the riots.
The US Department of Justice appointed special counsel Jack Smith in November to outsource the politically sensitive investigation into Trump’s case. His team collected evidence against Trump for months and presented it to a jury. The so-called grand jury has now voted to indict Trump.