Trump indicted by grand jury; likely to surrender next week

Former U.S. President Donald Trump has been indicted by a Manhattan grand jury, a historic reckoning after years of investigations into his personal, political and business dealings and an abrupt jolt to his bid to retake the White House.

The exact nature of the charges was unclear on Friday because the indictment remained under seal, but they stem from payments made during the 2016 presidential campaign to silence claims of an extramarital sexual encounter.

Prosecutors said they were working to coordinate Mr. Trump’s surrender, which could happen early next week. They did not say if they intended to seek prison time in the event of a conviction, a development that wouldn’t prevent the Republican leader from seeking and assuming presidency.

Mr. Trump, who has denied any wrongdoing and has repeatedly assailed the investigation, called the indictment “political persecution” and predicted it would damage Democrats in 2024. Defence lawyers Susan Necheles and Joseph Tacopina said Mr. Trump “did not commit any crime. We will vigorously fight this political prosecution in court”.