Former President Donald Trump has been indicted on criminal charges by a federal grand jury, which signifies a significant blow to his attempts to remain in power following his loss in the 2020 election. The charges were brought as part of special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation and include conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights. Trump is scheduled to appear at the Washington, DC, federal courthouse on Thursday at 4 p.m. ET. The indictment accuses Trump of spreading lies about widespread election fraud and his victory in the 2020 election, which he knew to be false. The purpose of these claims was to create an atmosphere of mistrust and anger and erode public faith in the election’s administration.

The indictment highlights the plot to overturn the 2020 election, culminating in the violent attack on the US Capitol on January 6, 2021, as Congress convened to certify President Joe Biden’s win. Prior to the attack, Trump engaged in an unprecedented pressure campaign, attempting to persuade state election workers, lawmakers, Justice Department officials, and even Vice President Mike Pence to invalidate the election results. Special counsel Jack Smith emphasized that the indictment seeks to hold Trump accountable for obstructing the election process and the certification of the results.

The indictment also alleges that Trump exploited the Capitol attack to continue spreading false claims of election fraud and convince members of Congress to delay the certification. Additionally, it states that Trump deceived many of the rioters into believing that Pence had the power to alter the election results in Trump’s favor. Trump’s co-counsel in the January 6 case, John Lauro, defended his client, stating that Trump was indicted for expressing his beliefs and carrying out his political speech and actions as president.

The White House declined to comment, deferring to the independent criminal investigations conducted by the Justice Department. The indictment includes six unindicted co-conspirators, including four unnamed attorneys who allegedly helped Trump undermine the election and one unnamed Justice Department official who attempted to initiate baseless investigations into election fraud. The indictment also references an unnamed political consultant who aided in submitting fraudulent slates of presidential electors to obstruct the certification process.

The charges brought against Trump include conspiracy to defraud the United States, obstruction of an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights. If convicted, Trump could face maximum sentences of imprisonment, ranging from 10 to 20 years. These charges will test the criminal justice system’s ability to hold Trump accountable for his actions after his acquittal in the impeachment trial related to the Capitol breach. The indictment marks the second time in two months that former President Trump faced charges, following previous indictments related to the retention of classified documents and falsifying business records.

The latest indictment comes as Trump remains a front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, with previous charges having minimal impact on his standing in the race. Trump’s legal team has maintained his innocence, and he is expected to plead not guilty in the upcoming arraignment. These concurrent cases will unfold as Trump seeks to return to the White House in 2024 following his defeat by Biden in 2020.