Donald J. Trump’s Republican rivals have been cringing at the possibility of his second indictment, as Republican voters’ immediate response to any attack on him is to snap to his defense. This allegiance has made it difficult for even prominent Republicans who are eager for the party to cast Trump aside in 2024. There have been exceptions like Asa Hutchinson, the former Arkansas governor, but many Republicans are being pressured to close ranks behind Trump and end their campaigns. The political fallout from his indictment raises long-term questions, as it adds yet another piece of baggage for the twice-impeached and twice-indicted former president. However, on Fox News, almost all coverage on Thursday was in support of Trump, despite the details not being publicly known yet. This created an awkward situation for his rivals, as they were faced with the option of criticizing Trump and not being seen as on Team G.O.P. or defending him and making it seem like they were unwilling to challenge him for the nomination.
/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/25606861/STK445_ADVERTISING_STK093_GOOGLE_B.jpg "Google and the DOJ make their ultimate arguments within the advert tech monopoly case")
