Is Trump Going to Prison?

Former U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to appear in court on Tuesday, April 4 based on potential misconduct in 2016. Much is still up in the air at this time, but questions have been raised about security concerns on Tuesday and the broader implications of this trial on Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign.

In 2016, Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen paid $130,000 in hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels to prevent her from going to the press with her account of an affair with Trump in 2006. When Trump Organization reimbursed Cohen, the payment was recorded on the company’s internal books as being for legal fees.

According to the prosecution, this record could be considered a falsification of business records, which is considered a misdemeanour and criminal offence in New York. Conviction on this charge would result in a fine. However, the prosecution could also argue that falsifying the record breaks election law since its implied intention is to prevent the public from learning about Daniels and the hush money. Falsifying a record to conceal another crime is considered a felony and could result in anywhere from one to four years in prison. To prove this case, prosecutors would have to show that Trump intended to commit a crime.

There is little precedent for a case like this; this is the first time in U.S. history that a president—current or former—has faced criminal charges. In the past, attempts to charge politicians with crossing the line between personal and campaign finances have been defeated.

Trump’s initial court appearance is scheduled for April 4. He is expected to fly into New York and voluntarily surrender himself to law enforcement.

His status as a former president and current presidential candidate creates security concerns during this process, so the Secret Service, New York City law enforcement, and the FBI will be coordinating security procedures.

Regardless of the outcome of the case, Trump will still be eligible to run for president. Nothing in U.S. law prevents a candidate from running for office or serving as president if they have been convicted of a criminal charge, and even if they are in prison. The trial might, however, complicate his campaign trail and appearance in debates.

Seth Schouten

In a joint announcement, the U.S. space organization NASA and the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) have unveiled the four astronauts who will crew the Artemis II mission. Among the crew is Jeremy Hansen who will be the first Canadian to orbit the moon. The mission is currently scheduled for November 2024 and will last 10 days. Artemis II will be the first crewed mission to the moon since the Apollo 17 mission in 1972.

Trump called the trial a “witch-hunt” which he believes will backfire on the Democrats. His Republican supporters are rallying behind him, with Texas Senator Ted Cruz calling the indictment “a catastrophic escalation in the weaponization of the justice system.”

His opponents, however, see this trial as a necessary example of holding even the most powerful law-breakers accountable for their actions. Congressman Adam Schiff said that “the indictment and arrest of a former president is unique throughout all of American history. But so too is the unlawful conduct for which Trump has been charged.”