An attorney for Donald Trump said Thursday he had been told the former president had been indicted in New York on charges involving payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of extramarital sex.
It is the first criminal case against a former US president and shocks Trump's bid to reclaim the White House in 2024.
The grand jury indictment against Trump, 76, is a remarkable development after years of investigating his business, political and personal dealings. This is likely to stir up critics who say Trump lied and cheated his way to the top and embolden supporters who feel Republicans are being unfairly targeted by Democratic prosecutors.