Reactions to Trump’s indictment run the gamut, cynical to sublime

Republicans line up to support ex-president as Democrats hope for more charges - and one man's one-word judgment

For Democrats, Donald Trump's indictment was proof that no one, not even a former president, was above the law. For Republicans, it was the culmination of a years-long political witch-hunt designed to take down a polarizing former president as he stands again for re-election.

The unprecedented move by a Manhattan grand jury triggered a wave of predictably partisan responses, reflecting a nation deeply divided over Trump and his presidency, which ended after his failed attempts to cling to power culminated in a deadly assault on the US Capitol. News on Thursday that Trump had become the first ever former US president to face criminal charges drew an audible gasp on Fox News, as broadcasters and viewers processed the extraordinary development.