rump’s legal troubles got dramatically worse Tuesday, when he was indicted on criminal charges by a federal grand jury in special counsel Jack Smith’s investigation into efforts to overturn the 2020 election leading up to the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol.

The rump has now been indicted on nearly 80 felony counts and has dug himself into the deepest possible hole.The ramifications of these charges for Trump and the country are enormous.The most recent set of indictments — four felony counts leveled by Smith’s office — is bigger than the ump and bigger than anything his co-conspirators in the indictments might have done.

The trial, which may well happen before the next presidential election, will be about the battle to protect American democracy itself.

So far, the rump has denied all wrongdoing and has pleaded not guilty to the previous charges.