Donald Trump set numerous precedents during his term as 45th president of the United States. He continued to do the same after he left office. In a few of those cases, the question is did his actions reflect well upon him?
Trump set another first this week when he was indicted by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, making him the first U.S. president to face criminal charges either in or after leaving office. This case is not the only legal jeopardy that Trump faces; a number of prosecutors and personal attorneys are likely to or have already filed their own cases. Once again, Trump has taken the U.S. into uncharted political and legal territory. It is a remarkable and deeply disturbing legacy.
Bragg last week charged Trump with 34 counts of falsifying business records under New York law. (The indictment was made public this week.) At the heart of the case are allegations that Trump paid hush money to two women to keep them from going public with charges of affairs with him, as well a separate payment to silence a Trump Tower doorman who claimed Trump had an affair with a former employee. The New York district attorney alleges that Trump lied about those payments in his business records.