'Shouldn't be allowed to run', Donald Trump's remark on indicted president goes viral
Donald Trump has once voiced his opinion against allowing a candidate facing possible indictment to run for president.
Donald Trump, who has become the first former US President to be convicted of a crime, has once voiced his opinion against allowing a candidate facing possible indictment to run for president.

While contesting against former first lady Hillary Clinton in 2016, Trump spoke about the Department of Justice's probe into his Democratic rival. Addressing an election campaign rally in Reno, Nevada, he warned, “If Clinton were charged criminally and became president it would create an unprecedented constitutional crisis and grind the government to a halt.”
“Folks, folks, folks, she shouldn't be allowed to run. Okay?” he told rallygoers.
Trump made similar remarks against Hillary at several rallies before the November 2016 election.
Clinton was facing probe for handling classified emails on a private email server when she was secretary of state.
“We need a government that can work and work well from day one for the American people. That will be impossible with Hillary Clinton, the prime suspect in a massive far-reaching criminal investigation," Trump said in Reno.
Continuing his tirade against Clinton, he stated: “Her current scandals and controversies will continue throughout her presidency and will make it virtually impossible for her to govern or lead our country.”
Speaking in North Carolina, Trump asserted a president under indictment “would cripple the operations of our government.”
“She has no right to be running, you know that. No right,” he added, garnering claps and cheers from his supporters.
As Trump's old video targetting Clinton goes viral on Twitter, one X user wrote: “Trump's 2016 comments on Hillary have not aged well.”
“We all heard it multiple times. But Trump is incapable of telling the truth. I’m not sure if he actually believes his lies, or if it’s just habitual," a second user reacted.
A third chimed in, “DONALD TRUMP IS A CONVICT OF 34 FELONIES. The Oval Office is not a place for any convicted felon.”
Trump continues to run for presidency despite conviction
Trump continues to run for White House after losing one out of four criminal case against him. Last Thursday, a Manhattan jury unanimously convicted Trump of 34 counts of falsifying company records to hide $130,000 hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 presidential election.
Despite his conviction, Trump has given no indication of backing down, boasting that his fundraising increased following Manhattan jury's decision.
Also Read: Melania leaves Trump Tower with son Barron after receiving stern advice from Stormy Daniels
Trump campaign reacts
Trump's current situation is more serious than Clinton's since she was never charged with any criminal activity, but Trump has been accused and convicted in one of his four cases.
In comparison to Clinton, Trump's situation seems more difficult since the former state secretary was not found liable for any criminal activity.
Speaking to USA TODAY, Steven Cheung, a Trump campaign official, stated that former president's case differs from Clinton's, citing explanations of both instances that contradict essential facts.
"The difference is that these are lawless witch-hunts concocted by Crooked Joe Biden and his Department of Justice against his main political opponent in order to influence an election," he stated, referring to Trump's prosecutions.
Cheung declined to comment when asked why Trump as president wouldn't "grind government to a halt" and cause the similar constitutional catastrophe as Clinton.
ABOUT THE AUTHORShweta KukretiShweta Kukreti has over 8 years of experience in covering Indian and world politics. She joined the Hindustan Times in 2024 and is primarily assigned to the US desk. She currently works as Deputy Chief Content Producer and reports on a wide range of topics, including US politics, immigration issues (especially H-1B visa) and major global events. Shweta strongly emphasizes team operations, which encompasses monitoring news, delegating tasks, editing, developing comprehensive coverage strategies, and crafting engaging, and data-informed narratives. She received the Digi Star Award at the Hindustan Times within a year of joining for her broad coverage of US politics. In 2025, she earned both a promotion and a redesignation, a significant achievement recognising her contributions and the strong value she brings to the team. She has previously worked with the Indian Express, HTDS, ANI and Republic World. Seniors in all the media organisations recognised her work. Regarding education, she earned a BA (Hons.) in Political Science and a master's degree from Delhi University, and she pursued a PG Diploma in English Journalism from the Indian Institution of Mass Communication (IIMC). She also holds a diploma in Women's Empowerment and Development from IGNOU University and a French certification course from Alliance Française de Delhi. If not working, you can find her exploring the hills and engaging in adventurous activities in Rishikesh and Himachal Pradesh. She loves to play badminton, volleyball, and chess, and spend time with her friends and family. She also enjoys spiritual activities.Read More

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