Can Trump run for president or be elected after indictments?

Can Trump run for president or be elected after indictments?

Former President Trump faces multiple indictments and potential criminal convictions but is not legally barred from running for or assuming presidential office. Trump faces 37 felony counts related to retaining classified information and obstruction of justice in a federal probe, and 34 counts of falsifying business records in a hush-money case. Despite these charges, the Constitution does not disqualify him from holding presidential office.

The main qualifications under the Constitution to seek the presidency are: being at least 35 years old, being a natural born citizen, and having lived in the U.S for at least 14 years.

Even if Trump were to be convicted, it wouldn't legally disqualify him from running for president in 2024 or from serving if elected. The clearest path to disqualifying Trump would have been if the Senate had convicted him in one of his impeachment trials, but he was acquitted in both.

The 14th Amendment, from the Civil War era, bans anyone who has engaged in insurrection against the U.S. from holding elected office without the approval of two-thirds of the House and Senate. After the Jan. 6 insurrection, Democrats accused Trump of engaging in "insurrection or rebellion", but this would only have prohibited him from holding office if the Senate had convicted him.

Beyond impeachment and the 14th Amendment, the only other barrier to the presidency is the two-term limit. Trump has served one term. He is also under investigation for efforts to subvert the 2020 election. Despite these legal challenges, experts still expect him to be able to run. The indictments could potentially bolster further support from Trump's voter base who believe he has been unfairly persecuted.