News Analysis
The indictment of former President Donald Trump on charges related to his unauthorized possession of classified documents has introduced a wild card into the 2024 presidential campaign, all but ensuring another election marked by allegations of wrongdoing against a major candidate.
A day after the June 8 announcement that the Department of Justice (DOJ) would pursue criminal charges, supporters and detractors of the former president took their predictable sides.
Left uncomfortably in the middle were Republican candidates for the 2024 presidential nomination who faced the choice between directly attacking their strongest opponent or soft-pedaling to avoid angering his formidable base of loyalists.
For Trump, no stranger to controversy, the indictment could be both a blessing and a curse.
The Trump Bump
The indictment both helps and hurts Trump, according to some political strategists. It will likely energize his core supporters but may also impose limitations on his schedule and ability to speak publicly about the matter.
“It’s a great way for Trump to fundraise and tighten up his base,” legal and political analyst Andrew Lieb told The Epoch Times. “In fact, we learned about the indictment because Trump told us, and then his super PAC told us.”
“In a macro sense, it’s going to be very, very disruptive as judges, particularly federal judges, could care less what obligations Trump has,” Lieb added. “So he’s going to have to work around their schedule. And there’s likely going to be a confidentiality order.”
In the short term, the indictment is unlikely to harm Trump’s support, according to political strategist and organizer Amani Wells-Onyioha.
“During this time, we’ve seen Trump in the news almost every day over allegations, he’s been the first former president to face criminal charges, and yet, he still leads in the polls by a wide margin,” Wells-Onyioha told The Epoch Times.
“Even if he is charged and behind bars, he could still theoretically be our President,” Wells-Onyioha added. “Given all this, we can expect Trump to continue his campaign for 2024, and we’re unlikely to see any major drop in his polling.”
However, the indictment has produced cracks in what had previously been an impregnable red wall of support by the Republican party.
