Donald Trump becomes the first former U.S. President to face federal criminal charges, setting the scene for an unprecedented 2024 presidential election

Even out of office, Donald Trump can’t stop making history as a former U.S. President, from his unprecedented indictment in New York, to his federal charges in Miami.

These charges bring a maximum sentence of up to 136 years, though a maximum sentence is unlikely.

“There’s no doubt that Trump absolutely wants to reassert his Presidency, and then wreak vengeance on his enemies and use the power of the state to do it,” said Bruce Wolpe from the U.S. Studies Centre.

“The future of Democracy is on the ballot as Trump is an anti-democratic candidate,” he added.

On top of becoming the first president to face federal criminal charges, Trump was also the only U.S. President to get impeached twice, and the only one to lose the popular vote two times.

But despite all of his political baggage and mounting legal problems, early polls show Trump remains the favourite to win the 2024 Republican presidential nomination.

Even those who have worked alongside Trump are worried, however, including former U.S. Attorney General Bill Barr.

“Should we be putting someone like this forward as the leader of the country, the leader of the free world, who has engaged in this type of conduct?” he said regarding Trump’s legal troubles on U.S. network CBS.