Donald Trump entered the 2024 presidential election facing 91 felony counts across four criminal cases in New York, Florida, Washington DC and Georgia. In May, he became the first former US president ever to be convicted of a crime. However, his re-election to a second term means he is unlikely to face prison or see remaining trials proceed, a prospect that has been considered remote since the Supreme Court ruled in July that presidents enjoy broad immunity from criminal prosecution.
Since the election, his sentencing in the New York hush-money case has been delayed, the Florida judge dismissed the classified documents case, and special counsel Jack Smith has dropped both the federal election interference case and an appeal against the Florida ruling. Prosecutors have cited longstanding policy that sitting presidents cannot be criminally prosecuted.
Trump also faces substantial financial penalties from two New York civil trials. He was found liable for sexually abusing and defaming E Jean Carroll, with juries awarding her a combined $88m in damages. In a separate civil fraud case, a judge ruled that Trump and the Trump Organization had inflated asset values to secure better loan terms, imposing a fine of more than $350m plus interest, which has accrued to an additional $100m and counting.
The criminal cases cover a range of allegations. In New York, Trump was convicted of 34 felonies over a hush-money scheme involving his former lawyer Michael Cohen, who paid $130,000 to adult film star Stormy Daniels. In Florida, he faced 40 counts, including wilful retention of national defence information, over classified documents taken to Mar-a-Lago. In Washington DC, he was charged with four counts related to attempts to overturn the 2020 election result. In Georgia, he faces 13 counts, including racketeering, for alleged interference in the state’s election outcome.
