Former U.S. President Donald Trump was formally charged on Thursday with multiple serious federal offenses, marking another major development in the ongoing legal battles surrounding his alleged efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election. The charges include conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy to violate rights guaranteed by the Constitution.

According to the indictment, prosecutors allege that Trump and several associates engaged in a coordinated effort to disrupt the peaceful transfer of power following his election loss. The charges are linked to actions and communications that allegedly sought to undermine the official certification of the Electoral College vote on January 6, 2021. Investigators claim that these actions amounted to an attempt to mislead government officials and the American public about the integrity of the election.

Trump has publicly denied all wrongdoing, labeling the indictment as part of a political “witch hunt” designed to damage his reputation ahead of the upcoming election cycle. His legal team has vowed to fight the charges in court, maintaining that the former president was exercising his constitutional rights to question election procedures and results.