Former Arkansas GOP Gov. Asa Hutchinson encouraged former President Donald Trump to drop out of the 2024 presidential election on Friday. The comments came after the Manhattan grand jury voted to indict Trump.
Hutchinson, who is considering his own presidential bid, said he knows Trump will not drop out of the race but that he should. Hutchinson said the indictment is causing a “distraction.”
DONALD TRUMP INDICTED: AT LEAST ONE FELONY AMONG CHARGES IN HUSH MONEY CASE: REPORT
“When a public official is indicted, I think with regard to the office, the office is more important than the person, and they should step aside,” Hutchinson told Fox Business host Stuart Varney. “That standard should apply here. It is a distraction. It is not a good day for America, but the system has to play out here, and we have to have confidence that it can.”
Hutchinson said he did not believe the charges should have been brought against the former president and said there needed to be enough damning evidence to justify the situation. Trump is the first president to be charged with a crime in U.S. history.
“It is a dark day for America when a former President is indicted on criminal charges. While the grand jury found credible facts to support the charges, it is important that the presumption of innocence follows Mr. Trump,” Hutchinson said in a statement. “We need to wait on the facts and for our American system of justice to work like it does for thousands of Americans every day.”
The grand jury voted on Thursday that there was enough evidence to charge Trump concerning a cover-up of hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016.
Trump has maintained his innocence amid the accusations that he played a role in former fixer Michael Cohen’s $130,000 payment to Daniels, which she claims was to stop her from talking about an affair she had with the former president.
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Hutchinson is expected to announce his decision on running for president in April and said the indictment made no impact on the decision, according to the Hill.
Trump is expected to be arraigned on a felony charge and business fraud on Tuesday. He will likely arrive in New York City on Monday.
