Former US president Donald Trump said he has received a letter informing him that he is a target of the Justice Department’s investigation into efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election.
New federal charges, on top of existing state and federal counts in New York and Florida and a separate election interference investigation nearing conclusion in Georgia, would add to the list of legal problems for Mr Trump as he pursues the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.
Mr Trump disclosed the existence of a target letter in a post on his Truth Social platform, saying he received it on Sunday night and that he anticipates being indicted.
Such a letter often precedes an indictment and is used to advise individuals under investigation that prosecutors have gathered evidence linking them to a crime; Mr Trump, for instance, received one soon before being charged last month in a separate investigation into the illegal retention of classified documents.
Legal experts have said potential charges could include conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruction of an official proceeding, in this case Congress’s certification of President Joe Biden’s electoral victory.
But Trump could get a lifeline if one viral internet conspiracy theory proves to be true.
According to one American, the reason he didn’t win the election is because the Pope’s satellite stole his votes and switched them with votes for Biden.
The theory stems from “wild” and “baseless” YouTube claims that were even discussed by a House Select Committee last year after they were shared around Trump’s team.
Here’s how that has filtered through to the general public:
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