We have updated our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use for Eurasia Group and its affiliates, including GZERO Media, to clarify the types of data we collect, how we collect it, how we use data and with whom we share data. By using our website you consent to our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy, including the transfer of your personal data to the United States from your country of residence, and our use of cookies described in our Cookie Policy.
The recent indictment of former President Trump has created an unprecedented legal situation that is polarizing the country. While other US presidents, such as Nixon and Clinton, have faced criminal investigations, no president has been arrested since Ulysses S. Grant, Ian Bremmer explains on GZERO World.
In 1872, Grant was arrested for the crime of racing his horses and buggy down a Washington DC street. He was let off with a warning. The incident was not widely reported at the time, but in 1908, retired police officer William West recounted the story in an interview with The Sunday Star of Washington.
The arrest of Trump is a different situation because the trial is taking place at a time when the defendant is also running for reelection, which adds to the political tension. It remains to be seen if New York District Attorney Alvin Bragg has the goods to win a conviction, or if his indictment will be the last that Trump faces. At least we can take heart in knowing that in one very specific way, history won’t be repeating itself: President Trump doesn’t go anywhere without a chauffeur.