Tracking the Trump investigations and where they stand
Donald Trump is the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges. He has been indicted in four cases — all while leading the Republican field in the 2024 presidential race. He has denied wrongdoing in each case. Even if Trump were convicted, he could still run for president.
Georgia election interference case
The district attorney in Fulton County, Ga., indicted Trump and 18 others in connection with their attempts to reverse Trump’s 2020 election loss in the state.
What to know
Four of Trump’s co-defendants have pleaded guilty to illegally conspiring to overturn his defeat. They include three lawyers associated with Trump — Jenna Ellis, Kenneth Chesebro and Sidney Powell — as well as Atlanta bail bondsman Scott Hall. All could testify against the other defendants if those cases go to trial.
Trump on Aug. 14 was charged with 13 counts, including violating the state’s racketeering act, soliciting a public officer to violate their oath, conspiring to impersonate a public officer, conspiring to commit forgery in the first degree and conspiring to file false documents.
Why it matters
This is the most expansive indictment brought against Trump regarding the 2020 election. Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis used Georgia’s powerful anti-racketeering law — originally created to take down organized crime — to indict not only Trump but a network of allies who allegedly sought to help him.
The background
Willis launched the investigation more than two years ago after audio leaked from a January 2021 phone call in which Trump pressured Georgia’s Republican secretary of state to “find” the votes to reverse his loss and threatened vague criminal consequences if he refused. Read more about how Trump tried to undo his election loss.
Classified documents case
Federal prosecutors charged Trump with illegally hoarding classified documents from his presidency and conspiring with aides to cover up his actions.
What to know
An additional set of charges, filed on July 27, say Trump and an aide, Carlos De Oliveira, sought to delete security footage from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate to prevent investigators from seeing it.
Why it matters
Trump is accused of dozens of violations of national security laws that the Justice Department says jeopardized some of the nation’s most closely guarded secrets. With the additional charges, prosecutors are painting a more detailed picture of a coverup by showing how Trump and aides allegedly tried to destroy evidence in the case.
The background
A federal grand jury initially charged Trump in June with 37 counts, including willful retention of national defense secrets, obstruction of justice and conspiracy. He now faces a total of 40 federal charges. Another aide, Walt Nauta, was also indicted in June, accused of helping Trump. Trial is scheduled to begin in May 2024 but could be delayed. Read the full indictment.
Falsifying business records case
The Manhattan district attorney charged Trump with falsifying business records in connection with hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 election.
What to know
Trump pleaded not guilty during his arraignment, and a judge denied his request to move the case to federal court.
Why it matters
The case is scheduled for trial in late March 2024, just after the Super Tuesday primaries. If the D.C. trial stays on track for early that month, the New York case would likely be pushed back.
The background
Daniels was paid $130,000 on the eve of the 2016 election to keep quiet about a sexual encounter she says they had years earlier. Trump denies the affair but has admitted to reimbursing his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, for the payments. Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg alleges Trump misclassified the reimbursement payments as legal expenses when they were actually campaign expenses. Read more.
Federal Jan. 6 election case
Federal prosecutors are investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the U.S. Capitol and efforts by Trump and his allies to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. He is accused of spreading claims about voter fraud that he knew to be false, then pressuring local, state and federal officials to block Joe Biden’s victory.
What to know
Trump has pleaded not guilty to all four counts in the indictment. His legal team argued that presidential immunity shields him from prosecution in the case and asked to have the charges dismissed, but U.S. District Judge Tanya S. Chutkan ruled against him in December. Trump is appealing the decision, and oral arguments in that appeal are scheduled for Jan. 9. Trial is scheduled for March 4, 2024, and potential jurors in the nation’s capital have received notices that they are being considered for a three-month trial to start on that date.
Why it matters
The charges in the indictment are among the most serious that can be brought against a former U.S. president. The indictment accuses Trump of seeking to sabotage the peaceful transfer of power, a bedrock of American democracy.
The background
Smith was tapped in November 2022 to handle the investigation. Investigators looked into the Trump campaign’s attempts to raise money off false claims of election fraud and plans for “fake electors” that could deliver the election to Trump. The indictment lists six co-conspirators, but none of them have been charged. Read more.