Third Indictment Escalates Legal Peril for Trump as He Tightens His Grip on GOP Nomination

In new charges just handed up by Jack Smith, the 45th president, the only named defendant, faces four criminal counts for conspiracy and obstruction.

AP/Jacquelyn Martin
President Trump arrives to speak at a rally on January 6, 2021, at Washington, D.C. AP/Jacquelyn Martin

The third criminal indictment of President Trump, this one for efforts to overturn the 2020 election, escalates the legal peril for the former president even as he tightens his grip on his party’s 2024 presidential nomination. 

Mr. Trump joins 1,000 other January 6 defendants who have been charged by the Department of Justice. Mr. Trump’s indictment comprises four counts: Conspiracy to Defraud the United States, Conspiracy to Obstruct an Official Proceeding, Obstruction, and Conspiracy against Rights. The charges carry penalties ranging from five to 20 years. 

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