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#post-presidency

10 incidents

Updated May 20, 2024 Corruption & Self-Dealing
Critical Rights and Rule-of-Law Concern

New York Civil Fraud Judgment: $454 Million for Inflating Assets Over Decades

Judge Engoron found that Trump had consistently and intentionally misrepresented asset values across a decade of financial statements. His Mar-a-Lago estate was valued in financial statements at up to $739 million — despite its deed restricting it to residential use, with an estimated fair market value of $75-100 million. His Trump Tower triplex was listed at 30,000 square feet when it was actually 10,996 square feet — nearly three times its actual size. The fraud allowed Trump to obtain loans at more favorable rates than he would have received with accurate valuations.

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fraudcivil-judgmentNew-Yorkpost-presidencyfinancial
Updated November 25, 2024 Rule of Law
Critical Rights and Rule-of-Law Concern

Federal Election Interference Indictment: 4 Counts for Defrauding the United States

The indictment described a multi-pronged conspiracy: fabricating slates of Trump electors in seven states that Biden had won; pressuring Pence to refuse to certify or delay certification; pressuring state officials to change election results; coordinating with the Justice Department to send false claims to states; and promoting false claims of election fraud Trump knew to be false. The case was assigned to Judge Tanya Chutkan; the Supreme Court's June-July 2024 ruling on presidential immunity vacated the lower court's immunity decision and required further proceedings; Smith closed the case in November 2024 citing DOJ policy.

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election-interferenceindictmentfake-electorsPencepost-presidency
Updated January 13, 2023 Corruption & Self-Dealing
Major Abuse of Power

Trump Organization Convicted on 17 Counts of Criminal Tax Fraud

Weisselberg, the Trump Organization's CFO for decades, had pleaded guilty in August 2022 to 15 felony counts and agreed to cooperate with prosecutors. He testified against the company. The Trump Organization received $1.76 million in off-the-books compensation for Weisselberg and other executives over 15 years. The company was convicted on all 17 counts, including scheme to defraud and falsifying business records. The $1.6 million fine was the maximum allowed but was a fraction of what corporate criminal fines typically run; prosecutors noted the fine was limited by statute.

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Trump-Organizationtax-fraudWeisselbergconvictionpost-presidency
Updated July 15, 2024 Rule of Law
Critical Rights and Rule-of-Law Concern Ongoing

Mar-a-Lago Classified Documents: Indicted on 37 Federal Counts for Obstruction and Mishandling

The indictment alleged that Trump had shown classified documents to people without security clearances, directed his staff to move boxes to avoid document review, and directed his attorney to falsely certify that all subpoenaed materials had been returned — when they had not. Trump's valet Walt Nauta was indicted as a co-conspirator. The case was assigned to Judge Aileen Cannon, a Trump appointee; she dismissed the case in July 2024 on the grounds that the Special Counsel's appointment was unconstitutional. The Justice Department appealed.

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classified-documentsMar-a-Lagoindictmentpost-presidencyobstruction
Updated July 1, 2024 Rule of Law
Critical Rights and Rule-of-Law Concern

January 6: Capitol Insurrection, Incitement, Second Impeachment, Supreme Court Immunity

For hours after the Capitol was breached, Trump did not issue a clear call to stop; his 2:44 PM tweet telling rioters they were 'very special' and he 'loved' them was posted while the attack was ongoing. Congressional Republicans and aides documented attempts to get Trump to intervene that he ignored or dismissed. The second impeachment passed with 10 Republican House votes — the most bipartisan presidential impeachment vote in U.S. history. Senate Minority Leader McConnell stated on the Senate floor that Trump was 'practically and morally responsible' for January 6 before voting against conviction on jurisdictional grounds. The Supreme Court's July 1, 2024 immunity ruling effectively ended the federal prosecution.

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January-6insurrectionimpeachmentpost-presidencyrule-of-law
Updated August 14, 2023 Rule of Law
War Crime / Crime Against Humanity Ongoing

Georgia Election Interference: Raffensperger Call, Pressure to Find 11,780 Votes

The January 2, 2021 call lasted approximately one hour. Trump told Raffensperger he had won Georgia by 'hundreds of thousands of votes,' cited debunked fraud claims involving suitcases of ballots, a water main break, and Dominion Voting Systems, and asked Raffensperger to recalculate — or simply declare — a Trump victory. Raffensperger told Trump his information was wrong. Trump's lawyers and chief of staff were also on the call. Raffensperger's attorney Ryan Germany debunked specific claims in real time during the call. The recorded call was the most explicit documented example of Trump personally pressuring a state election official to alter certified results. The Fulton County indictment in August 2023 charged Trump under Georgia's RICO statute.

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GeorgiaRaffenspergerelection-interferencepost-presidencyrule-of-law
Updated January 7, 2021 Rule of Law
Critical Rights and Rule-of-Law Concern

2020 Election Fraud Claims: 60+ Court Losses, No Evidence Found

Trump's legal team, led at various points by Rudy Giuliani, Sidney Powell, and Jenna Ellis, made dramatic claims in press conferences — coordinated election fraud, Dominion Voting Systems switching votes, Venezuelan electoral interference, suitcases of fake ballots — that were not supported by evidence filed in court. Judges demanded evidence; Trump's lawyers repeatedly stated in court filings that they were not alleging fraud, only procedural irregularities. CISA Director Christopher Krebs called the 2020 election 'the most secure in American history'; Trump fired him. Attorney General Barr stated the DOJ had found no evidence of fraud sufficient to change the outcome; Trump pressured him to say otherwise and Barr resigned.

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election-fraud2020-electioncourt-lossespost-presidencyrule-of-law
Updated June 24, 2022 Civil Rights
Critical Rights and Rule-of-Law Concern Ongoing

Supreme Court: Three Justices in Four Years — Fundamental Rights Overturned

Trump's three appointments fundamentally altered the Supreme Court's ideological composition. The Gorsuch seat had been held open for nearly a year through Senate Majority Leader McConnell's refusal to consider Obama nominee Merrick Garland. Barrett was confirmed October 26, 2020 — eight days before the election, after Republicans had cited 'the Garland rule' (refusing election-year nominations) in 2016. The conservative majority overturned Roe v. Wade in June 2022 in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health, eliminating federal abortion rights recognized for 49 years. The same term saw rollbacks of administrative agency authority (West Virginia v. EPA) and expansion of Second Amendment rights (Bruen).

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Supreme-CourtRoe-v-WadeDobbsabortioncivil-rights
Updated September 18, 2024 Corruption & Self-Dealing
Major Abuse of Power

Hush Money: 34 Felony Counts for Falsifying Business Records — Found Guilty

The prosecution established that Trump directed Michael Cohen to pay Stormy Daniels $130,000 eleven days before the 2016 election. Trump reimbursed Cohen through a series of false invoices and checks falsely recorded as 'legal expenses' — the 34 counts all arose from these falsified records. The Manhattan DA alleged the falsification was done to conceal the underlying crime of election fraud (influencing an election through unlawful means). The case also documented the AMI/National Enquirer arrangement in which the tabloid bought and suppressed stories from McDougal and others — the 'catch and kill' scheme. Trump was sentenced to an unconditional discharge on September 18, 2024, but the conviction remained on record.

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hush-moneyconvictionStormy-DanielsCohenpost-presidency
Updated January 26, 2024 Civil Rights
Major Abuse of Power

E. Jean Carroll: Jury Finds Sexual Abuse and Defamation; $83.3 Million Damages

Carroll, a longtime advice columnist, alleged Trump attacked her in the dressing room of Bergdorf Goodman in Manhattan in approximately 1996. Trump denied knowing her and described her as 'not my type.' The jury in May 2023 found Trump liable for sexual abuse (not rape, under the definition in New York law at the time) and defamation, awarding $5 million. After Trump continued publicly attacking Carroll following the verdict, she filed a second defamation suit; in January 2024, a jury awarded $83.3 million in compensatory and punitive damages — one of the largest defamation awards in U.S. history. Multiple other women made similar allegations; Trump denied all.

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Carrollsexual-assaultdefamationcivil-rightspre-presidency