UMass Dartmouth Professor on What’s Next for Donald Trump [TOWNSQUARE SUNDAY]

Nearly everyone has an opinion on Donald Trump, especially after the former president appeared in a New York courtroom for arraignment on 34 counts of business fraud.

Watching the coverage on television, it struck me that it wasn't something you see everyday.  We checked in with UMass Dartmouth Political Science Professor Ken Manning, a frequent contributor to Townsquare Sunday, for his thoughts on what some are calling an historic moment.

"There's no question it was historic," Manning said. "Trump in many ways has changed the presidency and our expectations of presidents. This is just one example of that in a long line of examples."

Get our free mobile app

Manning thinks the New York case against Trump is fairly solid, but he questions whether it will rise to the level of a felony.

The former president, however, could face even more serious legal troubles elsewhere. Georgia is investigating whether Trump broke any laws when he implored election officials to find votes for him after the 2020 election.

The Justice Department is looking at Trump for his alleged role as a possible instigator in the January 6th insurrection, as well as storing confidential documents at his Florida resort after leaving the White House and failing to return them in a timely manner.

Despite all of that, Manning doesn't think any of it will force Trump to abandon his run for president in 2024.

"My gut feeling is that he's going to try to stay in the race as long as possible," Manning said. "Even if he's convicted in one of these cases, I doubt very seriously that Trump would withdraw on his own."

Townsquare Sunday is a public affairs program heard Sundays at 6 a.m. and 11 a.m. on WBSM.

The program highlights individuals and organizations seeking to make the SouthCoast a better place to live and work.

If you would like your organization featured on Townsquare Sunday, please e-mail the host at jim.phillips@townsquaremedia.com.