Trump has become the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges.
Donald Trump was indicted by a Manhattan grand jury on Thursday, becoming the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges.
It was not immediately clear what the indictment was connected to, or what charges Trump will face. The indictment is under seal.
Trump is expected to surrender in New York City early this week, sources familiar with the matter told ABC News.
The Democratic National Committee said in a statement Thursday, “No matter what happens in Trump’s upcoming legal proceedings, it’s obvious the Republican Party remains firmly in the hold of Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans."
The DNC vowed, "We will continue to hold Trump and all Republican candidates accountable for the extreme MAGA agenda that includes banning abortion, cutting Social Security and Medicare, and undermining free and fair elections.”
Former President Donald Trump can still be elected president -- even if he is convicted -- experts tell ABC News. But there are practical reasons that could make it a challenge, experts say.
Trump said recently at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference that he would "absolutely" stay in the race for president even if he were to be criminally indicted.
Trump has denied wrongdoing and has characterized the probe as part of a "witch hunt" against him.
The U.S. Constitution does not list the absence of a criminal record as a qualification for the presidency.
Constitutional experts also told ABC News that previous Supreme Court rulings hold that Congress cannot add qualifications to the office of the president. In addition, a state cannot prohibit indicted or convicted felons from running for federal office.
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-ABC News' Laura Romero
Former President Donald Trump told ABC News over the phone that the indictment is "an attack on our country."
He called it a "political persecution," adding, "They are trying to impact an election."
Trump in a statement Thursday called himself a "completely innocent person" facing "an act of blatant Election Interference."
Trump said, "Our Movement, and our Party - united and strong - will first defeat [Manhattan District Attorney] Alvin Bragg, and then we will defeat Joe Biden, and we are going to throw every last one of these Crooked Democrats out of office so we can MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Trump's attorneys said in a statement Thursday, "He did not commit any crime. We will vigorously fight this political prosecution in Court."
Trump's son, Donald Trump Jr., said on his podcast Thursday, "This is weaponized justice at its worst."
Stormy Daniels' lawyer, Clark Brewster, issued a statement on the indictment, saying: "The indictment of Donald Trump is no cause for joy. The hard work and conscientiousness of the grand jurors must be respected. Now let truth and justice prevail. No one is above the law."
While the indictment remains under seal, Trump had been under investigation by the Manhattan district attorney over a $130,000 payment he made to the adult film actress to keep her from going public with a claim of an affair, which he denies.
