What Happened: On Tuesday, August 1, a federal grand jury of everyday Americans indicted former President Donald Trump for knowingly lying about the outcome of the 2020 election and trying to overturn our votes for president.  

The Key: Intent. The indictment hinges in part on proving that Trump knew his election fraud claims were false but that he spread the lies anyway. 

What the Indictment Says: It states Donald Trump: 

• “lost the 2020 presidential election,”  
• “was determined to remain in power,” 
• “spread lies” about 2020 election fraud, 
• “knew they were false,” and 
• “repeated and widely disseminated them anyway.” 

Donald Trump was told repeatedly he lost the 2020 election, including by those inside his circle. Here are the eight times—at least—that people told Trump he lost fair and square, according to the indictment:  

1. 1. Vice President Mike Pence: He told Trump “he had seen no evidence” of fraud that would change the result of the 2020 election.

   2. Senior Justice Department Leaders: They told Trump multiple times there was no evidence to support his claims of election fraud.

   3. Director of National Intelligence: Told Trump the intelligence community did not find any evidence of foreign interference that “would change the outcome of the election.”

   4. Department of Homeland Security: Issued a public statement that “that there was no evidence any voting system had been comprised” and ‘the 2020 election was the most secure in American history.’”

   5. Senior White House Attorneys: Told Trump there was “no evidence” of election fraud.

   6. Senior Trump Campaign Staff: The day before the election, they told Trump he only had a 5-10% chance of winning his re-election, and only if he won ongoing vote counts and litigation in Arizona, Georgia, and Wisconsin. A week later, he lost in Arizona, “meaning he had lost the election.”

   7. State legislators and officials: Many, who supported his re-election and voted for him, repeatedly told him that his election fraud claims were “false.”

   8. State and federal courts: They assessed all of his lawsuits alleging election fraud and ruled “his allegations were meritless.”

To read the indictment for yourself, click here.  

To join us in holding Trump accountable, follow Common Cause on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.