Since the news of his indictment, former President Donald Trump, 76, confirmed to the public that he will appear in court tomorrow April 4, where he will likely be probed over his alleged hush-money settlement. Now, politicians and commentators (like Rudy Guiliani) are voicing their opinion over the news and its subsequent impact on American history. One such concern comes from GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, who called the indictment “politically motivated” and “a dark moment in American history.” Despite running against Trump, he appeals to the same supporters and disapproves of the criminal charges Trump faces—charges Trump called “political persecution.”
Trump Presidential Competitor Calls Indictment A 'Dangerous' Moment In History
In a segment for Fox News' "The Next Revolution with Steve Hilton," first-generation American businessman and GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, 37, called the indictment a "dangerous moment" in the country.
He said, "We're already deeply divided. I could imagine nothing worse to take us to the breaking point than the ruling power in this country using police power to stop its lead political opponent." He continued, "I say this as somebody who is in this race running against Donald Trump. Yes, it might be more convenient for me or for others running giant Trump if he wasn't in this race, but this goes beyond politics."
Former New York mayor and fierce Trump ally Rudy Giuliani, 78, echoed similar sentiments in a statement to Newsmax: "It's usually the downfall of a great republic when the prosecution system is turned into a political device. You can look at ancient history, and you can see this is the kind of thing that ends a civilization."
The politically motivated indictment of the 45th President of the United States marks a dark moment in American history. It will undermine public trust in our electoral system & justice system. It is un-American for the ruling party to use police power to arrest its political… pic.twitter.com/BFcSlJ0OWO
— Vivek Ramaswamy (@VivekGRamaswamy) March 30, 2023
In a video published on his Twitter, Ramaswamy said if this was anyone else other than Trump facing such charges, they would have been charged as a "misdemeanor at most, if at all." He urged that voters should decide the President, not prosecutors.
Regarding the hush money investigation, Trump allegedly paid, through his then-lawyer Michael Cohen, adult film actress Stormy Daniels, 44, $130,000 to stay silent about their supposed affair while his 2016 presidential campaign ensued. Cohen, 56, claimed under oath that Trump told him to bribe Daniels and that he reimbursed him.
Trump faces other investigations, including an investigation into his alleged attempt to interfere with the 2020 election results in Georgia. A special grand jury was called by the Fulton County's (which includes Georgia's most populous city, Atlanta) district attorney to investigate and the DA has since signaled that her decision to bring charges is "imminent."
Joe Biden And White House Have 'No Comment' Over Trump's Indictment
As reported by the AP, Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, and The White House do not have a comment at this time regarding the ongoing investigation.
"I'm not going to talk about Trump's indictment," Biden, 80, told reporters as he left the White House to head to Mississippi to review storm damage. Similarly, Vice President Kamala Harris, 58, said, "I am not going to comment on an ongoing criminal case as it relates to the former president," during a news conference in Lusaka, Zambia.
While en route to Mississippi, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre echoed statements from the President and Vice President: "Look, we're just not going to comment on any ongoing case, and I will just leave it there."
