Trump’s third indictment: What happens next
- Donald Trump has been indicted over efforts to overturn the 2020 election
- He has been summoned to appear in court Thursday
- It's unclear whether six unnamed co-conspirators will also be indicted
(NewsNation) — Former President Donald Trump was indicted Tuesday over his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election.
The four charges were unsealed in a Washington, D.C., federal court following a yearlong investigation by special counsel Jack Smith, who has already indicted Trump on charges that he took classified documents from the White House when he left office in January 2021.
Trump is also under indictment in state court in Manhattan, where he faces charges of falsifying business records.
Here is what is expected to happen next following Trump’s latest indictment:
Trump has a Thursday court date
The former president has been summoned to appear at 4 p.m. Thursday before Magistrate Judge Moxila A. Upadhyaya at the E. Barrett Prettyman Courthouse in Washington, D.C.
The arraignment, as it’s called, is typically when a defendant enters a plea and the judge reads the charges into the record. Attorneys may also discuss procedural matters and future court dates.
Cameras were not allowed inside the courtroom at Trump’s arraignment in Miami on the classified documents case, and it’s likely to be the same Thursday. However, photographers were allowed to briefly enter the room before the proceeding in Manhattan.
No mugshot was taken in the Manhattan and Miami cases, though he was booked and fingerprinted.
Smith said the Justice Department will pursue a speedy trial, but it’s unclear whether one would occur before the 2024 election.
Law enforcement to map out logistics
Secret Service and other law enforcement departments will work to secure the federal courthouse ahead of Trump’s arraignment.
As a former president, Trump already receives around-the-clock Secret Service protection.
The situation will be similar to when Trump appeared in court in Manhattan in April and Miami in June, when agencies scoped out the courthouse, worked through logistics and prepared for the possibility of demonstrations near the building.
Co-conspirators’ fate unknown
The indictment includes six unnamed co-conspirators, who could face indictments down the line. Four are described as attorneys, one a political consultant and one a former Justice Department official.
Trump’s staunchest allies who were repeating lies about the 2020 election in the weeks leading up to Jan. 6 includes lawyers Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell and John Eastman.
Smith did not state why the co-conspirators had not been indicted or if they would be in the future.
“Our investigation of other individuals continues,” Smith said at a news conference announcing the indictment.
The Hill contributed to this report.