Former US President Trump faces charges in New York: Report

BREAKBREAK,

Trump, accused of paying a porn star hush money, is the first former US president to face criminal charges.

Former US President Donald Trump is being charged in connection with a New York investigation into an alleged payment of hush money to a porn star ahead of the 2016 presidential election, The New York Times first reported.

After weeks of speculation, a New York grand jury voted Thursday to indict Trump, the paper said, making him the first former president in U.S. history to face criminal charges.

The specific charges are not yet known and the charges are likely to be announced in the coming days, according to the Times.

A Trump lawyer said Thursday he was told the former president has been charged, The Associated Press also reported, without elaborating.

The New York investigation focuses on a $130,000 payment Michael Cohen, Trump’s former personal attorney and fixer, made to porn star Stormy Daniels in the waning days of the former president’s 2016 campaign.

Trump said earlier this month that he expected to be arrested in connection with the case. He called on his supporters to protest in a fiery social media post that raised concerns about potential violence — especially in light of the January 6, 2021 storming of the US Capitol by a pro-Trump mob.

This is a breaking story. More to follow.