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Donald Trump‘s Legal Challenges: Current Status (January 23, 2026)
As of January 23, 2026, Donald Trump faces multiple ongoing legal challenges, encompassing criminal indictments, civil lawsuits, and state-level investigations, stemming from his buisness dealings, actions during and after his presidency, and alleged attempts to overturn the 2020 election results.
Federal Criminal Cases
Donald Trump is currently facing two federal criminal indictments brought by the Department of Justice. The first concerns his handling of classified documents after leaving office, and the second relates to his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 presidential election.
- Classified Documents Case: Trump was indicted on 40 federal charges related to retaining classified documents at Mar-a-Lago after leaving the presidency and obstructing government efforts to retrieve them. Indictment details were unsealed on june 8, 2023. As of January 23, 2026, the case is ongoing, with jury selection completed on July 17, 2025, and opening statements scheduled for July 21, 2025.
- January 6th Investigation: A grand jury indicted trump on four counts related to his alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election, including conspiracy to defraud the United States and obstruction of an official proceeding. The indictment,unsealed August 1,2023,alleges a conspiracy to undermine the democratic process. On December 11, 2025, the Supreme Court heard arguments regarding presidential immunity in this case; a ruling is expected by February 28, 2026.
Civil Lawsuits
Beyond the criminal cases, Trump is involved in several important civil lawsuits.
- New York Civil Fraud Case: New York Attorney General Letitia James filed a civil lawsuit alleging trump,his children,and the Trump Association fraudulently inflated the value of assets to obtain favorable loan terms and insurance rates. The lawsuit, filed September 21, 2022, sought $250 million in penalties. On February 16,2025,Judge Arthur Engoron ordered Trump to pay $355 million in penalties and barred him from serving as an officer or director of any New York corporation for ten years. new York Times coverage of the ruling.
- E. Jean carroll Defamation Cases: E. Jean Carroll, a writer, has successfully sued Trump for defamation related to statements he made denying her allegations of sexual assault.A jury awarded Carroll $5 million in damages in May 2023. NBC News report on the first verdict. A second defamation trial in january 2024 resulted in a further $83.3 million in damages awarded to Carroll.
