University of Michigan experts can discuss the federal indictment of former President Donald Trump, in which he's been accused of trying to overturn the 2020 election and block the peaceful transition of presidential power.
The Ford School's Javed Ali, associate professor of practice, is a former senior U.S. government counterterrorism official.
"The indictment for Trump's role in the Jan. 6 insurrection differs from other federal and state level charges brought to date," he said. "The alleged charges most directly impacted the integrity of the 2020 presidential election and gave significant rhetorical inspiration for the thousands of people who descended on the U.S. Capitol, with almost 1,000 people already being charged and hundreds serving jail time.
"As with the other indictments facing Trump, however, the burden of proof will be on prosecutors to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that he committed these Jan. 6-related crimes. In the meantime, these different charges will likely have little impact on Trump's political standing, since recent polling suggests he maintains a wide level of support far beyond any other challengers in the Republican race for the 2024 presidential race."
