Daniel DePetris

Will Trump spend his retirement in court?

An anti-Trump protester in Florida (Getty Images)

When U.S. presidents leave office they usually take a step back to work on pet projects or write their memoirs. Jimmy Carter, one of the most active former presidents in U.S. history, began the widely-acclaimed Carter Center to monitor elections around the world. He also continued to serve as an unofficial U.S. government representative. Bill Clinton and Barack Obama began foundations of their own, with both remaining involved in hot-button political topics. George W. Bush decided to go back to his ranch in Texas and take up painting.

But Donald Trump may be spending his first few months in retirement fending off criminal investigations against his business. And therein lies the obvious question: is it possible that Trump could be charged with a crime?

This is not an altogether unprecedented situation. When Richard Nixon resigned the presidency in disgrace after more than two years of depositions, prosecutions, and public hearings over the Watergate scandal, there was a possibility that he could be charged with obstruction of justice.

Written by
Daniel DePetris

Daniel DePetris is a fellow at Defense Priorities, a syndicated foreign affairs columnist at the Chicago Tribune and a foreign affairs writer for Newsweek.

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