Former President Donald Trump's historic indictment

Plus, what comes next. [View this email online]( [Best of NPR]( March 31, 2023 Good morning.This is a special edition of the NPR Politics newsletter. We’re taking a look at former President Donald Trump’s indictment by a Manhattan grand jury on Thursday. The jury had been investigating hush money [payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels](. The former president immediately blasted the indictment as a politically motivated abuse of power. Want more political news and analysis? Subscribe to our [weekly Politics newsletter](. --------------------------------------------------------------- Trump's indictment playbook [Former President Donald Trump speaks during a rally at the Waco Regional Airport on March 25 in Waco, Texas.]( Brandon Bell/Getty Images Well, it actually happened. For the first time in U.S. history, a former president is facing criminal charges. A grand jury in New York voted to indict former President Donald Trump on charges related to hush money payments made to allegedly cover Trump's affairs, multiple sources close to Trump confirmed to NPR Thursday. The [Trump GOP machine went right to work]( rolling out a political playbook meant to insulate the former president with his base. It has appeared to work with them, but a unique divergence has emerged: While Trump has been strengthened with Republicans, his brand has become toxic with much of the rest of Americans. There are [three other criminal investigations pending]( against Trump — with potentially more serious charges — but given that this New York one was first, the stakes are high. There's a big difference between an indictment and conviction. A conviction would make it harder for Trump to claim that the charges were frivolous and politically motivated. But an acquittal would bolster Trump and lead to his claims of vindication. He's done it before, he'd likely do it again. — [Domenico Montanaro]( NPR’s senior political editor/correspondent --------------------------------------------------------------- Newsletter continues after sponsor message --------------------------------------------------------------- What comes next [Former President Donald Trump addresses the annual Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center on March 4 in National Harbor, Md.]( Alex Wong/Getty Images There’s much we still don’t know, including the [charges Trump faces and when they’ll be announced]( when and whether Trump will surrender, as Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office has requested, and what a trial, conviction or sentencing could look like. Meanwhile, activists last night celebrated and condemned the news of Trump's indictment. ➡️ Here are our [five biggest takeaways]( from the current situation. Bragg’s office said last night it had contacted Trump’s attorney "to coordinate his surrender" for arraignment. The grand jury’s indictment remains under seal. Like Trump, Republicans have questioned the legitimacy of Bragg's probe, with a House committee [threatening to investigate the district attorney's office](. Trump has promised he would stay the course on his 2024 presidential run. There’s nothing in the Constitution that prohibits candidates with a criminal record from running for office. But [winning is another story](. ➡️ Trump is no stranger to the legal spotlight, and the diehard fans in his base will likely never break ranks. ➡️ But it could be a crowded Republican primary, and an indictment could give other candidates [leverage to paint Trump as unelectable](. 🎧 NPR's Susan Davis, Domenico Montanaro and Carrie Johnson discuss whether the indictment would have any effects on the primary calculations on the [NPR Politics Podcast](. Trump’s leading competitor for the Republican nomination, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, hasn’t even declared his candidacy yet. [Trump endorsed him for governor]( but DeSantis now rarely mentions his name anymore and refused to join the chorus of supporters who falsely maintained the election was stolen. ➡️ DeSantis blasted the prosecutor Thursday and said Florida wouldn't help arrest and extradite Trump, should it come to that. The supportive tweet shows the hold Trump has on the GOP base: [DeSantis has to walk a line]( not to offend them, while Trump blasts DeSantis' record and personal characteristics daily. — [Suzanne Nuyen]( editor --------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------------- Listen to your local NPR station. Visit NPR.org to find your local station stream. [Listen Live]( [Facebook]( [Instagram]( [Twitter]( Enjoying this newsletter? Forward to a friend! 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