Former President Donald Trump is preparing for a potential third criminal indictment this year as a Washington grand jury convenes to review evidence in special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into attempts to obstruct the transition of power following the 2020 election. Smith’s probe is examining various ways Trump and his associates tried to overturn the 2020 election results, including promoting false claims about election fraud, pressuring Justice Department officials, and urging former Vice President Mike Pence to reject his ceremonial duty to certify President Biden’s victory.
Trump’s lawyers met with Smith and were reportedly told to anticipate an indictment. The charges Trump may face are unclear, but reports suggest he could be charged with conspiring to deprive citizens of constitutional rights like voting. If convicted, this could result in a fine or up to 10 years in prison. The conspiracy charge also implies there could be other co-defendants included in the indictment. Trump, who is leading polls for the 2024 GOP presidential nomination, has released a series of videos on his social media platform targeting the investigations into him, repeating his debunked claims of election fraud, and labeling the inquiries as a witch hunt.