Former US President Donald Trump appeared before a court in New York on Tuesday and, after surrendering to the authorities, the tycoon was officially arrested. For the first time in the history of the country, a president is facing criminal charges.
Donald Trump is at a key moment in his political career, because he intends to compete again in the elections to become president of the United States. After a first term (2017-2021), Trump lost the reelection to Joe Biden and therefore has the opportunity to seek the biggest spot at the White House for the second time.
The problem for Donald Trump is that now, before thinking about reelection, is that he will have to solve his legal problems first. In a historic image, Trump arrived at the court dressed in a suit and waving to dozens of people who were waiting for him outside the courthouse in New York. “I’m heading toward Manhattan, toward the courthouse. This seems so surreal. Wow. They’re going to arrest me. I can’t believe this is happening in the United States,” was Trump’s message on his social networks.
Why Was Donald Trump Arrested?
Last Thursday, a New York jury decided to indict Donald Trump because, according to the Prosecutor’s Office, the tycoon paid 130 thousand dollars to adult movies actress Stormy Daniels to ‘buy’ her silence about the relationship they had in 2006. Trump would have made the payment during his presidential campaign towards the elections that took place in 2016.
Donald Trump has denied any relationship with Stormy Daniels, but, at the time, his lawyer Michael Cohen made the payment to the actress to guarantee that she would keep silent. In 2018, Daniels became the center of attention in the United States when she published a book detailing her alleged relationship with Trump.
BREAKING: Donald Trump is now under arrest in New York City ahead of his arraignment in court https://t.co/0NxzuxZt8I pic.twitter.com/9sdFFunjcM
— CNN (@CNN) April 4, 2023
In addition, according to several reports, a Playboy model during the 90s, Karen McDougal, also allegedly received payments to buy her silence after having a relationship with Donald Trump. This also allegedly occurred in 2006. The story was ready to be published, but the money appeared and never reached the newspapers.
After being charged, Donald Trump turned himself into the authorities this Tuesday in New York and was officially arrested. Being a former president of the United States, the significance of the event is enormous. Nothing like this has ever happened before in history.
Can Donald Trump Run for President in 2024 After His Arrest?
The answer is yes. Even though Donald Trump has been arrested, the former president could run in the 2024 elections. The laws in the United States only establish three requirements to run for office: being born in the United States, being over 35 years old, and being a resident of the country for at least 14 years. Although the lawsuit against him may be a very important factor among voters, it does not prevent him from seeking the presidency for a second time.
So far, two candidates are the strongest candidates to win the nomination for the Republican Party: Donald Trump and Ron DeSantis. According to the latest projections, the governor of Florida has a slight advantage in the polls over Trump, but the fight between the two will be very tough to try to be the presidential candidate.
Afterward, Donald Trump would have to face the Democratic Party’s nominee in the US elections. Although everything points to Joe Biden seeking reelection, his future is also uncertain as he is a president who will be almost 82 years old. Therefore, it is not ruled out that names such as Kamala Harris (Vice President of the United States) could be in the fight.
Cover photo: EFE
Story written in Spanish by Miguel Fernández in Cultura Colectiva News