Fact check: What was Donald Trump charged with prior to 2016

1. Summary of the results

Based on the comprehensive analyses provided, Donald Trump was not charged with any crimes prior to 2016. The sources consistently indicate that Trump's first criminal charges came much later - specifically in March 2023 when he was first indicted by the Manhattan district attorney on state charges related to a hush-money payment to an adult-film star in 2016 ^[1].

All four of Trump's criminal indictments occurred in 2023 ^[2], making him the first former U.S. president to face criminal charges. These include:

• State indictment in New York on business fraud charges related to the 2016 hush-money payment ^[3]
• Three additional federal indictments filed in 2023 ^[2]

Multiple tracking sources from reputable news organizations including AP News ^[4], CNN ^[1], and CBS News ^[3] confirm no criminal charges existed against Trump before 2016.

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The question focuses specifically on criminal charges, but missing context includes civil litigation and regulatory issues that may have occurred prior to 2016. The sources provided do not comprehensively address:

• Civil lawsuits filed against Trump or his businesses before 2016
• Regulatory violations or settlements with government agencies
• Business-related legal disputes that didn't result in criminal charges

One source mentions Trump businesses receiving payments but doesn't elaborate on any associated legal issues ^[5]. Citizens for Ethics in Government has been tracking Trump's activities, suggesting there may be additional ethical or legal concerns beyond criminal charges ^[6].

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question itself does not contain misinformation, as it's posed as an inquiry rather than making a claim. However, the framing could potentially mislead by implying that Trump had criminal charges prior to 2016 when the evidence clearly shows he did not.

Media organizations and political opponents who have extensively covered Trump's legal troubles since 2023 might benefit from narratives that suggest a longer pattern of criminal behavior, while Trump and his supporters benefit from emphasizing that no criminal charges existed during his decades in business prior to his political career.

The sources analyzed appear to be factual and consistent across multiple reputable news organizations ^{[2] [1] [3] [4]}, with no apparent bias in their reporting of the timeline of Trump's criminal indictments.