Manhattan DA indicts Trump in hush money probe

Manhattan Democrat District Attorney Alvin Bragg on Thursday indicted former President Donald Trump over alleged hush-money payments made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in 2016.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing in the matter. In a video published on Truth Social, Trump said he is facing "the most disgusting witch hunt in the history of our country." 

The former president said two weeks ago that he expected to be arrested the following Tuesday by New York officials, and he called for protests.

Elected Republicans, such as House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, have predicted that Trump's indictment and subsequent arrest would embolden his base ahead of the 2024 election, possibly securing his reelection. 

The indictment comes after a grand jury probed Trump's alleged involvement in a $130,000 payment made to Daniels in an attempt to keep her silent about a sexual interaction the two had years earlier. The payment was reportedly recorded as a legal expense and came from Trump through a shell company set up by his former attorney, Michael Cohen, who pleaded guilty in 2018 to tax and campaign finance crimes.