Donald Trump remains top Republican candidate for US president despite criminal charges

Trump was last week charged on 34 counts of criminal conduct and was arraigned on April 4. His supporters — including several members of the US House of Representatives — turned up at the New York State Supreme Court to show their support, showcasing that Donald Trump still holds a death grip over the Republican Party, despite being accused of playing a role in the January 6 Capitol riots, which were seen by many as an attempt at a coup.

The Republican primaries will begin in earnest early next year before culminating in the Republican National Convention mid-2024, when the Grand Old Party's nominee for the US presidency will be officially unveiled. This far out from the primaries, it is hard to predict who will eventually run against incumbent Joe Biden, but if the current state of affairs continues, it could be well be a Biden vs Trump redux.

Earlier this week, Biden formally announced that he would be seeking office for his second — and final — term as US president. Biden, who at 80 years old is the oldest person ever to be in the Oval Office, will be on the cusp of turning 82 by the time Super Tuesday comes calling in November 2024. His presidency has been fraught with the pandemic, inflation and several other pressing issues. Besides, Biden has the lowest job approval ratings of any of his Democrat predecessors — so next year's election battle should be especially interesting.