Donald Trump is the first former US President to face criminal charges

Donald Trump was indicted yesterday by the New York attorney general for alleged bribery to buy the silence of a porn actress, back in 2016, making him the first former president of the United States to sit on the bench as defendant.

After a grand jury chosen by the NY attorney general’s office voted in favor of criminally indicting the former president, the office of attorney Alvin Bragg contacted defense counsel “to coordinate his surrender” at a date to be determined.

“We have reached out to Mr. Trump’s attorney to coordinate his surrender to the Manhattan District Attorney’s office to read the indictments,” Bragg’s office said, noting that the indictment remains “sealed.”

According to CNN, Trump could face up to 30 charges related to corporate fraud. 

The former American president, who intends to run for the White House again in 2024, is expected to be indicted in the next few days by the state court of New York for paying $130,000 to porn actress Stormy Daniels.

“This is political persecution and interference at the highest level in history in an election,” Trump said in a statement, accusing “radical left-wing Democrats” of “witch hunts to destroy the Make America Great Again movement”.

Attorney Susan Necheles confirmed to Agence France Presse (AFP) that Trump will likely appear at a hearing next Tuesday.