Can Donald Trump still run for President if he is found guilty in the New York fraud trial?

Closing arguments were presented on Thursday in the New York lawsuit against Trump for fraud in which he has already been deemed liable. The judge found in a pre-trial ruling that Trump had inflated his assets to get favorable terms from banks and insurance companies, and is now considering how much the billionaire and his co-accused will have to pay in damages.

The final verdict and punishment are in the hands of Judge Arthur Engoron, who expects to hand down his ruling before the end of the month, as Trump’s lawyers failed to file paperwork to have a jury decide. This lawsuit, although potentially financially damaging, Attorney General Letitia James is asking for $370 million, is of a civil nature and would not involve jail time. This, however, is not the case for the other charges he is facing, 91 felonies in four different jurisdictions, which could end him up in prison if convicted.

The trials of the former president, and presumptive front-runner for the GOP nomination to challenge President Joe Biden in the 2024 elections, for the various charges filed against him could take place well into the race for the US presidency and fall in the midst of the GOP presidential primaries. Since Trump is aspiring to go back to the White House next year, the question is, can he still run for the highest office in the land if he is goes to prison for any of the many crimes he has been accused of?

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Could Donald Trump run for President if he goes to prison?

The prospect of Trump’s conviction and possible incarceration has led to questions about his presidential candidacy, since he has been campaigning to be the Republican bet for the White House seat in 2024.

As it turns out, being arrested for or even convicted of a crime does not disqualify a person from running for the highest office in the United States. There is no particular law or constitutional provision that prohibits a convicted or arrested person from being a presidential candidate. In fact, if he ends up conducting his campaign from within prison walls, he wouldn’t be the first contender to do so.

Five-time candidate Eugene Debs ran as the Socialist bet for president for the fifth and last time from a prison cell, and managed to get 3.4% of the vote.

The only exception is if he were found guilty of insurrection. Under the 14th Amendment, which was ratified after the Civil War in 1868 to keep former Confederates out of the government, states in Section 3 that officials who have held public office in the country and have participated in acts of “insurrection or rebellion” after having taken an oath cannot return to office unless two-thirds of both Houses approve removing such disqualification.

The Supreme Court is set to take up the matter of whether or not Trump can remain on the ballot after officials in two states, Colorado and Maine, determined that he had been part of the January 6, 2021 insurrection and therefore could not be on the ballot in those states.

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Three requirements to run for the Oval Office

The US Constitution only outlines three requirements to be eligible to become president. First, that the person be a natural-born citizen of the country; second, that the person be at least 35 years old; and third, that the person have US residency for at least 14 years.

Legally, there would be no impediment to Trump’s efforts to return to office even if he were in jail. The biggest obstacle he would face would be physical and other limitations that being in prison would put on his capacity to campaign.

All eyes are on the various trials that Trump will be facing, not only because he has made history by becoming the first former or sitting president to face criminal charges, but also because of how it could affect his bid to become US president once again.