Trump indicted in Stormy Daniels probe as first ex-US president to face criminal charges
Donald Trump is the first former president in US history to face criminal charges after the Manhattan grand jury investigating his role in a hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels voted to indict him.
Multiple reports suggest that Mr Trump is facing more than 30 charges, though no specific charges are yet known.
News of the indictment came after reports that security measures were being put back in place around the courthouse in Lower Manhattan and that the grand jury had been looking into a payment to another woman.
It was thought that any indictment would be delayed for weeks due to a planned hiatus, with the timing of the indictment reportedly catching the former president off guard.
The indictment comes as the former president continues to campaign for the presidency, striking out at his rival Ron DeSantis, accusing the Florida governor of inexperience in foreign policy and bailing out insurers to the detriment of hurricane-hit Floridians. Mr DeSantis said Thursday night that he would not “extradite” Mr Trump, though he has no legal basis to do so.