What could happen after the indictment against former President Trump?

Early in the week, Manhattan County Prosecutor Donald Trump filed an act on former U.S. President Donald Trump over 34 counts, including for falsification of business data in New York to hide his role in paying a porn film actress before the 2016 elections.

American Voice correspondent Patsy Widakuswara reports how the unprecedented charge can create new uncertainty in the 2024 presidential race.

In American history a former president has never faced criminal charges, much less one competing for the White House again.

This is an insult to our country while the world is already laughing at us”, said Mr. Donald Trump.

Former President Donald Trump was charged this week with falsification of business data in New York to hide his role in paying a porn film actress before the 2016 elections.

Since the indictment was declared, Mr. Trump raised some $12m in donations for the campaign, suggesting that criminal charges could be useful to him, at least in the short term.

“This really creates an atmosphere of sacrifice around it, which the Republicans have recently made a distinctive mark of their party and a distinguishing mark of their” election strategy, says political adviser Julie Roginsky.

After the prosecution was filed, polls show Mr. Trump is extending the advantage of possible Republican challenger, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis.

If he is declared a Republican candidate, in November 2024, Mr. Donald Trump will likely face President Joe Biden, repeating facing the 2020 elections. This is valued as good news for Mr. Biden, as it is likely to promote democratic base and majority independent voters.

Mr. Biden is the type of candidate he cannot secure millions of votes because of his personality. It could garner those millions of votes because voters cannot stand the” option, says Larry Sabato, director of Virginia University's Policy Centre.

Mr. Trump will appear before the judge in December. If he is convicted and won the election, there is nothing in the Constitution that would prevent him from becoming president of the United States again.

While it is unlikely that Mr. Trump will be sentenced to prison in the New York case, other investigations, including his role in trying to overturn the results of the 2020 elections, could lead to more serious charges and possible imprisonment.

I don't know how someone can be effective as president of the United States while in a prison cell. But there is nothing in the Constitution that would prevent someone from being president of the United States and being imprisoned at the same time”, says Richard Pierce, professor at George Washington University.

The American elections are not decided solely by the personality that the candidate enjoys. In addition to the economy, which seems more and more positive for President Beden, there are other important issues that motivate American voters.

“Issues such as immigration and crime, which are very important to the republics, motivate their base. Issues like social equality, women's reproductive rights, safe democracy, are issues that motivate Democrats. We saw these issues motivating voters in the Muslim elections and expect to see even in 2024”, says Cliff Young of the organisation I PSOS, which results in polls.

President Biden has not officially announced he will run for re-election. He is likely to do so when Mr. Donald Trump is not in the spotlight. / VOA/