Over the summer, between Donald Trump’s third and fourth criminal indictments, the former president’s political operation issued a written statement that read in part: “hy did wait two and a half years to bring these fake charges, right in the middle of President Trump’s winning campaign for 2024?” It was a familiar refrain. In fact, it was a line the Republican pushed by way of his social media platform over and over and over again. Evidently, it’s back.
Just as notably, if prosecutors, motivated by partisan goals and electoral considerations, were trying to unveil the allegations at a politically opportune moment, they probably wouldn’t have filed the indictment in early August — roughly five months before the Iowa caucuses, seven months before Super Tuesday, 11 months before the Republicans’ nominating convention, and 15 months before the next general election.