Former President Donald Trump could be arrested any day, which could have a major impact on the 2024 presidential race. Trump is among the GOP front-runners with the election over a year and a half away. Will the arrest help or hurt Trump?
What Happened: Trump said recently that he expected to be arrested in connection to hush payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels by his former lawyer Michael Cohen prior to the 2016 presidential election.
Trump has yet to be arrested, and the potential indictment of the former president looms large on the 2024 election.
Benzinga recently polled its Twitter followers to get a sense of the impact his arrest would have on the election.
Users were asked: “If Donald Trump is arrested this week, is he more or less likely to win the 2024 presidential election?”
The potential selections were:
- Less likely
- More likely
- Don’t care
The majority of respondents selected “more likely,” which got 52.7% of the vote, suggesting that if Trump is arrested, it could increase his odds of winning the 2024 presidential election.
The second place answer was “don’t care,” which received 24.6% of the vote on Twitter.
The third place answer was less likely at 22.8%, which could suggest that the smallest percent of the population see Trump's potential arrest hurting his odds of winning the 2024 election.
Related Link: Trump's Reality Collides With New Joker Movie. It's New York, Not Gotham. Where's Batman?
Why It’s Important: The results of Benzinga’s Twitter poll follow what several prominent voices have said in regard to the potential arrest of Trump.
“If this happens, Trump will be re-elected in a landslide victory,” Tesla and Twitter CEO Elon Musk tweeted.
“Rich Dad, Poor Dad” author Robert Kiyosaki also sees the arrest of Trump being a potential positive for Trump's election campaign, which was announced in 2022.
“LOVE HIM or hate him, Trump plays the FAKE Woke MEDIA like a cheap ukulele. He announces he will be arrested tomorrow. If arrested, the Fake Woke Media will get him elected. Please, please, please, arrest my friend Donald Trump,” Kiyosaki tweeted.
Recent polls have shown Trump having an edge over Republican hopeful Ron DeSantis, who has not officially announced his 2024 campaign.
Trump’s media company Trump Media & Technology, which owns Truth Social, is in the process of merging with Digital World Acquisition Corporation DWAC. Trump’s arrest or any potential trouble with the law could have little impact on the company’s operations.
The SPAC merger filing indicated that the company’s ownership, which includes Trump, would not change even with a “material disruptive event.”
“The company’s principal’s ownership and position in the company shall be structured such a way as to eliminate the need for restructuring of ownership or changes in position were a material disruptive event to occur,” the filing reads.
Among the disruptive events listed in the filing are “the company principal announces that he is running for a public office” or “the company principal is personally convicted of a felony criminal offense.”
DWAC Price Action: Shares of Digital World Acquisition trade at $13.76 versus a 52-week trading range of $12.39 to $71. While shares are down 18% year-to-date, Digital World stock has increased 2% in the last five days, indicating investors brushing off the arrest rumors and impact on the SPAC.
Read Next: Trump Reportedly Ready To Be Paraded Before Cameras If Arrested
© 2024 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.
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