Whatever happens with these investigations and Trump’s reactions to them, it’s already clear his supporters will whip themselves into a frenzy of misinformation, hysteria and perhaps even violence, further destabilising the political landscape. Indictments may soon be forthcoming in that case, too. The Daniels case is murky and focused on technical election laws, raising questions about whether it would have been less risky to prioritise a more straightforward case, such as the Georgia investigation into Trump’s attempt to influence the outcome of the 2020 presidential election.

Some legal experts and political pundits have expressed concern about the particular case that led to Trump’s indictment. This could go as badly for him as the few hostile media interviews he did as president and open the door for a successful challenge by another aspiring candidate.ĭemocrats and others opposed to Trump and the movement he heads are also divided on the fallout and risks. It’s equally possible multiple investigations and charges will eventually hurt Trump, forcing him off the campaign trail and into situations out of his control, where he doesn’t perform so well. It is certainly plausible Trump will manage to derive political benefit from the media spectacle – he has a long history of successfully weaponising investigations into his dealings as “witch hunts”, effectively tapping into conservatives’ obsession with “government overreach”. Even the immediate fallout of Trump’s indictment isn’t clear.

There are almost too many hypotheticals and “what ifs” to count. Peter Foley/EPA Can Trump survive multiple investigations at once? Demonstrators outside New York Criminal Court in advance of a potential indictment of former President Donald Trump.

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