Trump indictment: Trump faces some 2 dozen counts, including felonies, sources say

Trump has become the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges.

Donald Trump was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury on Thursday, becoming the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges.

It was not immediately clear what the indictment was connected to, or what charges Trump will face. The indictment is under seal.

Trump is expected to surrender in New York City early this week, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.


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America split on Trump indictment: Poll

While 45% of Americans believe former President Donald Trump should face charges in an investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney's Office, 32% say he shouldn't have been indicted, according to a new ABC News/Ipsos poll.

Another 23% of American say they don't know whether the nation's 45th president should face charges.

While the charges have not been announced, a Manhattan grand jury that indicted Trump had been hearing evidence in a $130,000 hush money payment Trump allegedly made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels, who claims they had an affair. Trump has denied the allegations.

The poll showed a split in opinions along party lines. While 88% of Democrats said Trump should face charges, 62%, of Republicans said the former president should not have been charged while 16% said he should be charged, and the remainder was uncertain.

About 47% of Americans polled say the charges are politically motivated, echoing the sentiment from top GOP figures. About 79% of Republicans hold that view.

-ABC News' Brittany Shepherd


Trump's lawyer hopes his arraignment is 'typical' and quick

Trump's lawyer said on Sunday on ABC's "This Week" that he doesn't know what to expect when the former president is arraigned on Tuesday in New York City, given the historic nature of Trump's indictment.

"This is unprecedented. I don't know. I've done a million arraignments in that courthouse with celebrities and whatnot. But this is a whole different thing. We have Secret Service involved. I understand they're closing the courthouse for the afternoon. I just don't know what to expect to see," Joe Tacopina told "This Week" anchor George Stephanopoulos.

He likened the case to "persecution" and said the charges, which remain under seal, "revolved around" Trump paying money to adult film actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election to keep her from going public with a claim of an affair that Trump denies.

He told Stephanopoulos that he didn't know whether Trump would hold a press conference on Tuesday after he is arraigned.

"What I hope is that we get in and out of there as quickly as possible, that it's, at the end of the day, a typical arraignment," he said.

-ABC News' Tal Axelrod


Trump expected to travel to New York on Monday

Former President Donald Trump is expected to travel to New York on Monday, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.

He is expected to appear in court on Tuesday at the earliest, the sources said, on what is expected to be around two dozen counts - including felonies.

The exact charges are unknown since the indictment will not be unsealed until Trump appears in court.

-ABC News’ Aaron Katersky, Katherine Faulders, John Santucci


Why Trump indictment might hinge on a 'novel legal theory'

As legal experts speculate on what charges lay inside the sealed indictment ahead of former President Donald Trump's expected surrender on Tuesday afternoon, many predict that prosecutors could try out a new legal theory to justify bringing the charges.

"This could be a novel legal theory," said Kate Shaw, a law professor at Cardozo and ABC News contributor, speculating on what charges the public could see against Trump while stressing it's unknown until the indictment is unsealed.

Read more here.

-ABC News' Libby Cathey


Trump tells ABC News indictment is 'attack on our country'

Former President Donald Trump told ABC News over the phone that the indictment is "an attack on our country."

He called it a "political persecution," adding, "They are trying to impact an election."

Trump in a statement Thursday called himself a "completely innocent person" facing "an act of blatant Election Interference."

Trump said, "Our Movement, and our Party - united and strong - will first defeat [Manhattan District Attorney] Alvin Bragg, and then we will defeat Joe Biden, and we are going to throw every last one of these Crooked Democrats out of office so we can MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”

Trump's attorneys said in a statement Thursday, "He did not commit any crime. We will vigorously fight this political prosecution in Court."

Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., said on his podcast Thursday, "This is weaponized justice at its worst."