But while it may be legally possible for Trump to run for office despite being accused of a criminal indictment, several practical hurdles could make campaigning more difficult. For instance, if he were given a prison sentence, that would hamper his ability to run a campaign, but it wouldn’t necessarily hamper his ability to win.
The New York judge assigned to Trump’s indictment case could have the ultimate decision on whether the former chief of state can run for president while under indictment. However, political experts point out that it seems unlikely that prosecutors would want to detain Trump or restrict his campaign travel while the case is ongoing.
In most white-collar indictment cases like the one in question, the defendant is released right away following charges.
Hasen’s opinion is that there’s a slim chance for Trump to be convicted and sent to prison before the 2024 election season is over.
