On March 30th, a grand jury in Manhattan indicted former President Donald Trump on charges relating to a hush money payment of $130,000 to adult film actress Stormy Daniels. The payment was made by Trump’s then-personal attorney Michael Cohen, in late October 2016, just before the 2016 presidential election, to keep Daniels from going public with allegations of a past affair with Trump, which he denies. Trump is the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges while running again for president.

This new legal challenge has marked a new phase in the 2024 presidential campaign, with Trump vowing to keep running in the face of criminal charges. Trump has repeatedly referred to the various investigations against him as politically motivated, calling them a “witch hunt”. Kyle Cheney, an analyst in politics, believes that even if Trump doesn't succeed in winning the presidency again, he could still remain an influential political figure in the Republican party. Trump’s Republican allies, as well as his 2024 GOP rivals, have already condemned the district attorney's office over this indictment. Meanwhile, House Speaker Kevin McCarthy has pledged to initiate a congressional investigation into the matter.