Donald Trump announced his 2024 run for the presidency on Nov. 15. In his speech, he railed against what he perceived as the “persecution” of himself and his family, but made scant mention of his legal woes.
The announcement has led some to speculate that Trump may be hoping that becoming a presidential candidate will in some way shield him from prosecution in mulitple investigations.
So, does an indictment — or even a felony conviction — prevent a presidential candidate from running or serving in office?
The short answer is no. Here’s why:
The U.S. Constitution specifies in clear language the qualifications required to hold the office of the presidency. In Section 1, Clause 5 of Article II, it states: “No Person except a natural born Citizen, or a Citizen of the United States, at the time of the Adoption of this Constitution, shall be eligible to the Office of President; neither shall any Person be eligible to that Office who shall not have attained to the Age of thirty five Years, and been fourteen Years a Resident within the United States.”