Former president Donald Trump’s 2024 primary challengers have a dilemma on their hands.
With Trump still the most popular politician in the Republican Party, his rivals have to balance being tentative in their criticisms of Trump, while also convincing voters that they are a better choice for the nomination. On Tuesday, after Trump became the first president in United States history to be indicted, this balancing act has become even more complicated.
With the first Republican presidential primary debate of the 2024 election season scheduled for this August, Trump finds himself in a unique position with his expected political rivals. The prospect of indictment has only helped Trump’s poll numbers over the past few weeks, and his main rivals have not yet used this as a way to attack him.
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is widely expected to challenge Trump for the Republican nomination, tweeted that the indictment was “un-American” and that he would not assist in an extradition request.
From the candidates who have already entered the 2024 race: former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy both spoke out against the indictment, and former Arkansas governor Asa Hutchinson said “the decision on America’s next president should be made at the ballot box and not in the court system.”
Trump was charged with and pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. This crime is usually a misdemeanor offense, so in order for Trump to be convicted of a felony, New York County District Attorney Alvin Bragg and prosecutors will need to prove that the falsification of business records was connected to another crime.
Trump’s lawyers have until August 8 to file motions and they’re expected to file a motion to dismiss the charges entirely. Prosecutors will then have until September 19 to respond to these motions, and the next in-person hearing will take place on December 4. Assuming the case goes to trial, prosecutors would like the trial to begin in early January, while Trump’s lawyers are looking to move it to later in the spring.