Donald Trump indicted by grand jury, DeSantis vows not to cooperate in Trump’s extradition

For the first time ever, a former American president has been criminally indicted, after Manhattan grand jury charges Trump with over 30 counts of business fraud.

By World Israel News Staff

Former President Donald J. Trump has been indicted by a grand jury in Manhattan, marking the first time ever in American history that a president or former president has faced criminal charges.

While details of the indictment have yet to be released, it appears the charges stem from payments made by Trump to adult film star Stephanie Gregory, better known as Stormy Daniels, and model Karen McDougal.

Both Gregory and McDougal claimed to have had affairs with Trump in 2006, with former Trump attorney Michael Cohen later saying he paid the women $130,000 and $150,000 in hush money prior to the 2016 presidential election.

After the payments were revealed in 2018, the Federal Election Commission and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Southern District of New York investigated the payouts for possible wrong-doing.

Both the F.E.C. and the U.S. Attorney’s Office declined to file charges against Trump, dropping the cases in 2021 and 2019 respectively.

On Thursday night, however, following an investigation by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, Trump was charged with more than 30 counts of business fraud, with authorities saying they expect Trump to be taken into custody in New York sometime next week.

“This evening we contacted Mr. Trump’s attorney to coordinate his surrender to the Manhattan D.A.’s Office for arraignment on a Supreme Court indictment, which remains under seal,” Manhattan District Attorney’s Office spokesperson said.

“Guidance will be provided when the arraignment date is selected.”

It is unclear if Trump, a resident of the state of Florida, will comply with the indictment and travel to New York to surrender himself.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a likely contender for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, slammed the indictment as “un-American,” and vowed not to cooperate in extraditing Trump, should the former president refuse to surrender himself to New York authorities.

“The weaponization of the legal system to advance a political agenda turns the rule of law on its head. It is un-American,” DeSantis said, according to The Hill.

“The Soros-backed Manhattan District Attorney has consistently bent the law to downgrade felonies and to excuse criminal misconduct. Yet, now he is stretching the law to target a political opponent.”