Q&A: Yes, Trump could be elected president as a convicted felon
Published in Political News
WASHINGTON — Former President Trump made history last year as the first of the nation's chief executives to be indicted for a crime.
This week, he will add another chapter — becoming the first former president to stand trial on criminal charges.
And later this year, he could top even that if he becomes the first candidate with a criminal record to win the presidency.
Here's a look at the unprecedented legal questions Trump's situation presents.
Could Trump become president after being convicted of a crime?
Yes.
There's nothing in the Constitution or federal law that prevents a felon from holding the nation's highest office.
While many federal employees would not be hired if they had a felony conviction on their record, the Constitution sets only a few bare-bones requirements for the chief executive.
"No Person except a natural born Citizen...shall be eligible to the Office of the President," it says.
While today's voters worry about candidates who are too old, the men who wrote the 1787 document sought to screen out those who were too young or lived abroad. A president must have "attained the age of 35 years and been 14 years a resident within the United States."
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