On Thursday, March 30, a Manhattan Grand Jury voted to indict former President Donald Trump. The contents of the official indictment are not expected to be unsealed until the arraignment on Tuesday, April 4. However, it is already known that the indictment is a result of a lengthy investigation of the former president due to suspicions of fraud surrounding “hush money” payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

As of now, relatively little has been made public regarding Tuesday’s arraignment. What is known, however, is that news of the indictment has caused a torrent of passionate responses from both sides of the political aisle. As more mainstream news outlets like CNN and Fox News scramble to maintain updates on the situation, lesser-known and more extreme media outlets display the depth of emotions and range of reactions to Thursday’s news.

“Trump indictment shows that power-crazed Democrats are INCOMPATIBLE with human society,” declared a headline from far-right independent media site Newstarget. 

Conversely, far-left media outlets such as The Palmer Report have published articles on the topic with headlines such as “DAY OF RECKONING” and “The handwringing has begun.” 

This firestorm of reactions quickly became directed at Stormy Daniels herself. According to an interview Daniels gave for the United Kingdom news outlet The Times, the adult film star has received an incredible amount of hate and backlash following the announcement. 

Despite this, Daniels has solidified her position on the issue, stating, “A person in power is not exempt from the law. And no matter what your job is, or what your bank account says, you’re held accountable for the things you’ve said and done, and justice is served.”

It is expected that Trump will be tried for approximately 30 charges related to the Stormy Daniels investigation. If found guilty of one or more felony charges, Trump could be sentenced to up to four years of imprisonment. Some believe that it is more likely that Trump will instead be faced with heavy fines. However, neither a criminal conviction nor either of the above sentences can affect Trump’s eligibility to run for president again in the 2024 election cycle, as the United States Constitution does not state that felons cannot run for presidential office.

Because of this, and with the 2024 election cycle fast approaching, the American public’s reaction to the indictment may very well determine who is elected as the next President of the United States. Though one might assume that being convicted of a federal crime would eliminate any chance at a presidential bid, some experts believe that such an event would turn Trump into a martyr in the eyes of his supporters. 

It appears that both the current and former presidents are well aware that the 2024 election will be won with press and public relations. 

Since Tuesday’s announcement, Trump has been posting frequently on his Truth Social account, seemingly feeding the predicted martyr narrative with posts claiming “THIS IS AN ATTACK ON OUR COUNTRY THE LIKES OF WHICH HAS NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE.” 

The indictment has also brought attention and controversy to others within the Republican Party. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis – Trump’s expected political rival in the 2024 election – previously announced that he would not involve himself in the Stormy Daniels investigation. This prompted a large amount of criticism from Trump’s following. 

More recently, Governor DeSantis claimed that the indictment was “un-American,” and that Florida would not assist in any extradition efforts. Thus far, this has had little to no effect on the indictment. The former president is expected to surrender peacefully and willingly, despite claims that he wishes to be handcuffed in order to create a “spectacle.” 

The Biden administration has chosen to take a slightly different approach. When asked for his thoughts on the ongoing situation, current President Joe Biden stated, “I’m not going to talk about Trump’s indictment.” 

This position was supported by comments made by Vice President Kamala Harris during a news conference in Zambia held during her weeklong African tour. She asserted, “I am not going to comment on an ongoing criminal case as it relates to the former president.”

With political tensions already boiling and the current administration remaining unshakably neutral, the indictment of Trump has led to a flurry of uncertainty and confusion for the American people. Nevertheless, one thing remains clear: the full ramifications of this historic decision have yet to be seen.