Because it’s the first time a former president faces an indictment, we asked legal experts some questions that may be on Americans’ minds. According to them, these criminal charges would not stop Trump from running for the White House and likely would not pose hurdles for his 2024 campaign.
Basically, Trump could continue running for office just as he has. Legally speaking, the indictment itself isn’t disqualifying. The US Constitution doesn’t forbid people under criminal investigation or indictment from running for the presidency.
This means that the former president would still be eligible even if the whole bribery story led to a conviction and potential incarceration.
In other words, even if Trump’s indictment were to send him to jail, there’s no legal impediment to stopping his presidential campaign from happening.
The big unknown, however, is when the criminal trial against Trump—and possible conviction—may take place given his candidacy. The answers to these questions may become even more blurred if the former president wins reelection for the 2024 presidency.
