Former President Donald Trump’s indictment over a 2016 hush money payment has sparked reactions from both Republicans and Democrats.
Donald Trump’s Indictment (Photo: Politico)
Democrats have largely celebrated the indictment as a win for justice.
Most Republicans have denounced the charges as an “unprecedented abuse of power” and a “politically-motivated prosecution”. However, several prominent figures have remained notably silent on the issue. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell has not commented on the former president’s indictment, despite maintaining a rocky relationship with Trump over the years.
Similarly, Senate Minority Whip John Thune has not expressed his thoughts on the indictment, either before or after the news broke. South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, a longtime supporter of Trump who has been floated as a potential contender for the 2024 presidential race, has yet to offer her opinion on the indictment. Former Rep. Liz Cheney, who has been an outspoken critic of Trump since the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol, has yet to comment on the hush money indictment.
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, a onetime Trump ally turned critic, questioned Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s priorities last month, as charges appeared imminent, but has not commented on the official indictment. Former Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan, who has previously said he did not vote for Trump in the 2020 election, does not appear to have commented on the indictment either.
President Biden has chosen to stay out of the indictment discussions.
He said “I have no comment on Trump” and reiterated that he would not talk about the Trump indictment. Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has also remained silent on the former president’s indictment, which is related to her 2016 race against Trump.
The criminal charges brought against Trump are in connection with a $130,000 hush money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels ahead of the 2016 election to buy her silence about an alleged affair with the former president. Democrats have largely viewed the indictment as a step toward holding Trump accountable for his actions while in office, while Republicans have dismissed the charges as politically motivated.
It remains to be seen how the indictment will impact Trump’s political career and the broader political landscape in the US.
