Trump indictment: What happens now?

GBNEWS24DESK//

In a political bombshell, Donald Trump has been indicted by a New York grand jury, the first ever serving or former US president to face criminal charges. Here’s what happened on Thursday and what is expected to happen next:

CRIMINAL CHARGES

The grand jury, which meets in secret, voted to indict the 76-year-old former Republican president following an investigation led by the Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg, a Democrat. While the indictment remains under seal, the charges against Trump are believed to relate to hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

The grand jury, which has been meeting since January, indicted Trump after hearing testimony from a number of witnesses. Among those who testified was Trump’s ex-personal lawyer and fixer Michael Cohen, who has admitted arranging a $130,000 payment to Daniels to buy her silence about an affair she had with Trump in 2006. Trump was invited to testify in person but declined.

SURRENDER

Bragg said his office had been in touch with Trump’s attorneys to “coordinate his surrender” for arraignment in New York at a future date. At an arraignment, a defendant is presented with the charges facing them and generally enters a plea.

A judge then decides whether they should be released on bail or taken into custody.

Extra security has been in place for days around the Manhattan courthouse where Trump is expected to make his first appearance. CBS News, citing Trump’s defense team, said the plan is for the former president to surrender early next week.