SHAH ALAM - In a historic 2024 United States (US) Presidential Election, Donald Trump secured a second term as US President, despite facing numerous legal and personal controversies.
Trump became the first president to take office with several criminal cases still pending against him.
While he celebrated his re-election, unresolved legal troubles and accusations of sexual misconduct cast a long shadow over his presidency.
Here is an in-depth look at the four major legal cases he faced, followed by a detailed timeline of the sexual misconduct allegations against him.
Four Major Cases Looming Over Trump’s Presidency
1. The New York State "Hush Money” Case
Indicted: March 30, 2023
Scheduled Trial Date: Jury selection began on April 15
Court: New York State Supreme Court
Charges: 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree
This case centred on payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during the 2016 Presidential Election campaign to prevent her from revealing an alleged affair with Trump.
Daniels received USD 130,000 from Trump’s lawyer, Michael Cohen, with Trump later reimbursing him via the Trump Organisation under a false retainer agreement.
Payments were also made to Playboy model Karen McDougal and a doorman to suppress negative stories during the election.
Trump’s legal team denied that the payments were campaign-related, arguing they were personal.
In his defence, Trump called Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s investigation a "witch hunt” and accused him of racism.
Following a conviction in May, Trump maintained his innocence, denouncing the trial as a "disgrace.”
As of September, Trump’s lawyers continued to challenge the conviction, invoking the Supreme Court’s July 2024 ruling on presidential immunity, which delayed sentencing.
2. The Federal Classified Documents Case
Indicted: June 8, 2023, and July 27, 2023
Court: US District Court for the Southern District of Florida
Charges: 32 counts related to national defence information, obstruction of justice, false statements, and concealment of records
This case emerged from Trump’s alleged mishandling of classified documents after leaving office in January 2021.
Prosecutors accused Trump of taking sensitive government records, including nuclear secrets, and refusing to return them when requested by the National Archives and Records Administration.
The FBI recovered over 100 classified documents at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate in 2022, with some stored improperly in locations such as a ballroom and bathrooms.
Trump, alongside two associates, Walt Nauta and Carlos De Oliveira, pleaded not guilty, claiming the case was politically motivated. In July, Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the case, citing the special counsel’s appointment as unconstitutional.
Special counsel Jack Smith appealed, seeking to revive the case, with the legal battle continuing post-election.
3. The Federal Election Interference Case
Indicted: August 1, 2023 (original); August 27 (revised)
Scheduled Trial Date: Delayed due to immunity claims and ongoing appeals
This case addressed Trump’s efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 Presidential Election.
Charges, including conspiracy to obstruct certification of Joe Biden’s victory and defrauding the US Government, stemmed from events leading up to and including the January 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
The Supreme Court’s ruling on presidential immunity temporarily shielded Trump from prosecution for some actions taken while in office.
In a revised indictment, five co-conspirators were named in a broader scheme to interfere with the election process.
Trump’s legal team argued for absolute immunity and repeatedly appealed the charges.
The case was still ongoing, with Trump’s team seeking dismissal.
4. The Georgia Election Interference Case
Indicted: August 14, 2023
Court: Fulton County Superior Court
Charges: 13 counts of violating the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations Act, false statements, and conspiracy
This case revolved around Trump’s alleged attempts to interfere with the 2020 Election results in Georgia.
Trump and 18 co-defendants were accused of conspiring to falsify election results, including pressuring state officials to alter vote totals. One notable incident involved Trump urging Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger to "find” enough votes to overturn Biden’s victory.
Prosecutor Fani Willis led the investigation, with a trial date still pending. As with other cases, Trump’s defence argued that he acted lawfully in challenging what he believed was a rigged election.
While Trump’s legal cases raised significant concerns about his future in office, controversies surrounding his personal life and alleged misconduct also remained prominent.
These allegations, which spanned several decades, continued to influence public opinion about the newly re-elected President.
Timeline of 24 Sexual Misconduct Allegations Against Donald Trump
Trump faced accusations of sexual misconduct from at least 24 women, with allegations spanning from the 1980s to the 2010s.
He consistently denied all claims, dismissing them as politically motivated.
Below are selected incidents:.
1. Jessica Leeds (1980s)
Age: 38
Location: First-class cabin on a plane
Leeds claimed that Trump groped her during a flight in the 1980s, describing him as "like an octopus" with his hands everywhere, trying to lift her skirt and grab her breasts.
2. Ivana Trump (1989)
Age: 40
Location: Trump Tower Triplex
In a 1990 divorce deposition, Ivana Trump described an incident in their marriage as a "rape." While she later clarified she did not mean it literally or criminally, the allegation made public in a 1993 book generated significant attention.
3. Kristin Anderson (Early 1990s)
Age: Early 20s
Location: China Club, Manhattan
Anderson alleged that Trump touched her vagina through her underwear while at a nightclub. She claimed the incident happened without her consent.
4. Jill Harth (1993)
Age: Early 30s
Location: Mar-a-Lago Estate
Harth accused Trump of trying to assault her in one of the children’s bedrooms at Mar-a-Lago. She said he pushed her against the wall and tried to get up her dress. Harth had filed a 1997 lawsuit for "attempted rape," but later settled.
5. Stacey Williams (1993)
Age: In Her 20s
Location: Trump Tower
Williams, a former model, met Trump through Jeffrey Epstein. She alleged that Trump groped her in his Trump Tower office, touching her breasts, waist and buttocks in what she felt was a "twisted game" between the two men.
6. Amy Dorris (1997)
Age: 24
Location: US Open
Dorris accused Trump of sexually assaulting her at the US Open, where she claimed he forcibly kissed her and groped her breasts, buttocks and back. She provided corroborating evidence, including photographs of her sitting next to Trump at the event.
7. Cathy Heller (1997)
Age: 44
Location: Mother's Day Brunch, Mar-a-Lago
At a public Mother’s Day brunch, Heller alleged that Trump grabbed her and kissed her on the lips without her consent. When she pulled away, she claims he reacted with anger, unable to comprehend why a woman would reject him.
8. Temple Taggart (1997)
Age: 21
Location: Miss USA Pageant, Trump Tower
Taggart, a former Miss Utah, claimed that Trump kissed her on the lips twice, once when they first met and again during a meeting at Trump Tower. She later described these encounters as inappropriate.
9. Mariah Billado (1997)
Age: 18
Location: Miss Teen USA Pageant
Billado, a former Miss Vermont Teen USA, alleged that Trump entered the dressing room while contestants, some as young as 15, were changing. She recalled feeling uncomfortable as he walked in on them unannounced.
10. Tasha Dixon (2001)
Age: 19
Location: Miss USA Pageant, Backstage
Dixon, a former Miss Arizona, claimed that Trump walked into the backstage area where contestants were changing into their bikinis. She found this intrusion shocking and inappropriate.
11. Bridget Sullivan (2000)
Age: 19
Location: Miss USA Pageant
Sullivan alleged that Trump entered the dressing room unannounced while contestants were changing, leaving her and others feeling uncomfortable and violated.
12. Melinda McGillivray (2003)
Age: 23
Location: Mar-a-Lago
McGillivray alleged that Trump grabbed her buttocks at a Ray Charles concert at Mar-a-Lago. She immediately told a photographer present, "Donald just grabbed my ass."
13. Rachel Crooks (2005)
Age: 22
Location: Trump Tower
Crooks, who worked as a receptionist, claimed that Trump kissed her on the lips without her consent after she introduced herself to him in the Trump Tower lobby. She described the act as deeply inappropriate and upsetting.
14. Natasha Stoynoff (2005)
Age: 40
Location: Mar-a-Lago
Stoynoff, a reporter for People Magazine, alleged that Trump forcibly kissed her during an interview at Mar-a-Lago, pushing her against a wall and forcing his tongue into her mouth.
15. Jennifer Murphy (2005)
Age: 26
Location: Outside an Elevator
Murphy, a former contestant on The Apprentice, alleged that after a job interview, Trump pulled her in for an unsolicited kiss, leaving her feeling uncomfortable and awkward.
16. Jessica Drake (2006)
Age: 32
Location: Lake Tahoe
Drake claimed that Trump forcibly kissed her and two other women without consent at a golf tournament. When she rebuffed his advances, he reportedly asked, "How much?"
17. Samantha Holvey (2006)
Age: 20
Location: Miss USA Pageant
Holvey, a former Miss North Carolina, alleged that Trump would inspect contestants in a demeaning manner, treating them like "meat" or sexual objects during the pageant.
18. Ninni Laaksonen (2006)
Age: 20
Location: Ed Sullivan Theater
Laaksonen, a former Miss Finland, alleged that Trump grabbed her buttocks during a photoshoot before a Late Show with David Letterman appearance. She also claimed Trump made unsettling comments about her resembling Melania Trump.
19. Summer Zervos (2007)
Age: Early 30s
Location: Trump Tower and Los Angeles Hotel
Zervos, a former Apprentice contestant, accused Trump of groping and kissing her twice without consent. In 2021, she settled a defamation suit against him.
20. Cassandra Searles (2013)
Age: 24
Location: Miss USA Pageant
Searles, a former Miss Washington, alleged that Trump repeatedly grabbed her buttocks and invited her to his hotel room. She made these claims in a 2013 Facebook comment.
21. E Jean Carroll (1995 or 1996)
Age: 52
Location: Bergdorf Goodman, New York
Carroll, an advice columnist, testified that Trump sexually assaulted her in a department store dressing room, pulling down her tights despite her resistance. A 2023 court ruling found Trump liable for sexual abuse.
22. Karen Johnson (Early 2000s)
Age: Unknown
Location: Mar-a-Lago
Johnson, a former dancer, claimed that Trump grabbed and forcibly kissed her at a New Year’s Eve party at Mar-a-Lago, citing fear due to his power and status.
23. Kristin Anderson (Early 1990s)
Age: Early 20s
Location: China Club, Manhattan
Anderson claimed that Trump touched her through her underwear at a nightclub, making her feel violated and shocked by his behaviour.
24. Jill Harth (1993)
Age: Early 30s
Location: Mar-a-Lago
Harth claimed that during a business trip to Mar-a-Lago, Trump made unwanted advances by groping her, which she described in a lawsuit as "attempted rape."
Trump has faced numerous legal challenges and personal accusations, and as he takes office for a second term, these matters remain unresolved. His legal cases and personal conduct will likely continue to be a source of public scrutiny and political contention.