Former President Donald Trump is facing revised charges for his alleged attempts to interfere in the 2020 election, following a US Supreme Court ruling last month. The charges, brought by Department of Justice Special Counsel Jack Smith, have been adjusted to focus on Trump’s actions as a political candidate rather than as a sitting president.
The revised indictment maintains the four criminal counts against Trump, including conspiracy to defraud the US and attempting to obstruct an official proceeding. Trump, who has denied all charges, has called the new indictment a “dead Witch Hunt” and has demanded its immediate dismissal.
The new charging document, which has been slimmed down from 45 to 36 pages, reworks the language of the allegations to align with the Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity. It argues that Trump acted as a private citizen, not as president, when he allegedly attempted to sway the election.
Despite Trump’s legal team’s belief that the case is flawed and should be dismissed, the new indictment leaves in place key allegations, such as Trump’s efforts to persuade Vice-President Mike Pence to obstruct Joe Biden’s election certification.
Legal experts are divided on whether the case will move forward before the upcoming election on 5 November. While the new indictment shows a determination to proceed, it remains uncertain whether the case will satisfy the Supreme Court’s framework on presidential immunity.
The future of the case, along with another accusing Trump of taking classified documents after leaving office, is further complicated by a recent appeal against a judge’s decision to dismiss the documents case. Both cases face uncertain futures following the Supreme Court’s ruling last month.
If Trump wins the election, it is widely expected that he will order the justice department to drop all federal charges against him. The outcome of these legal battles will undoubtedly have significant implications for the former president’s political future.
