Former US president Donald Trump has been indicted on criminal charges relating to the alleged “hush money” paid to porn actor Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election.
A grand jury voted to indict Trump, however the details of the charges he faces have not yet been released.
The indictment of Trump is a historic move, as no other former US president has ever faced criminal charges.
The investigation into Trump follows an alleged affair he had with Daniels in 2006, and to whether he indirectly paid $130,000 to Daniels as “hush money” through his lawyer Michael Cohen.
It is alleged Trump reimbursed Cohen with $130,000 after he had paid it to Daniels to ensure her silence about the alleged affair. The payment was recorded as legal expenses at the time, and it has been alleged that Trump falsified the business documents.
Trump denies he had an affair with Daniels and denies all the allegations.
The case was brought by the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, and was voted on by a grand jury. It is now on the District Attorney to formally indict Trump.
The indictment represents the first time a US president – current or former – has faced criminal charges, and takes the US into unchartered territory with Trump having already announced his intention run for president in 2024.
If the case goes to trial and Trump pleads not guilty, he could face the possibility of campaigning for the presidency while undergoing a criminal trial.