A wave of violent rhetoric followed Donald Trump’s federal indictment last week. His allies have portrayed the indictment as an act of war and called for an uprising to defend him, raising fears about violence ahead of Trump’s scheduled court appearance tomorrow.
Other Republicans who are running for president are caught in a tough spot. They now have to decide between deferring to a system of law and order that their party has long upheld or backing Trump. Trump himself is on the defensive, casting both his indictments and his bid for the White House as part of a “final battle” with “corrupt” forces.
Across the world, many saw the indictment as another sign of the country’s political messiness. Some chose silence in public and eye rolls in private. Allies voiced concerns that the episode was hurting not just Trump but also the U.S. itself, by showing that security secrets were not safe in its hands and that its disorienting, partisan fever had yet to break.
This is the first time a former U.S. president has faced federal charges. The indictment accuses Trump of mishandling classified documents that he kept upon leaving office and then obstructing efforts to reclaim them. But it is silent on one subject: Trump’s motive. We have annotated the documents for you.
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