There were two major issues to fear ahead of the landmark first criminal indictment of a former president of the United States, reports CNN in an article headlined “a “surreal” day in court for Trump can only divide the country even more”.

The first was that, while the Manhattan District Attorney, Alvin Bragg, could plead strong evidence of alleged wrongdoing on the part of Donald Trump, in practice his legal theory may turn out to be too vague, convoluted, and seem like too much of a flashback to 7 years of elections to sell to the public.

The other was that Trump would respond with such fury and incitement that it would further divide a nation alienated by his eccentric presidency and spark new unrest that could further damage vital political and judicial institutions.

Both of these worst case scenarios they came true on a day Trump described as “SURREAL” in a social media post sent as he was led to court to surrender in his motorcade.

The result is that another bleak and even tragic chapter may lie ahead for a country still far from dealing with the fallout from Trump’s one-term term as it prepares for yet another bitter re-election.

Prosecutor Bragg’s case rests on the simple and vital premise that no one—not even a former president with his sights set on the White House again— must be above the law. But the prosecutor’s critics worry that there is another equally important and countervailing principle — if someone who is famous, rich and powerful is prosecuted while a less notorious person might get away with it.

Trump’s behavior detailed in court documents and in a previous case involving Cohen’s former lawyer was certainly egregious. But some legal analysts pointed out that Bragg’s legal road map could pave the way for strong pretrial appeals by Trump’s lawyers.

The apparent complexity of the legal case will play out in court. But it will also have significant political resonance, given Trump’s status as a former president seeking to win back the White House in 2024. If it’s difficult even for lawyers to follow the reasoning behind Bragg’s case, it will it’s harder for everyone else to do. Many may question whether falsifying business records to cover up an alleged relationship (s.s. Stormy Daniels) years before the 2016 election contest, which now seems like a very old case, really warrants the politically radioactive step the impeachment of a former president for the first time in American history (Trump has denied the connection).

The sense that Bragg’s indictment could backfire on the prosecutor and benefit Trump politically was echoed by some Republicans who do not support the former president — such as Trump’s former national security adviser John Bolton in an appearance on CNN. Another Trump critic, Utah Sen. Mitt Romney, also criticized the court case.

Seeking to incite the trust to institutions that seek to constrain his behavior, and by claiming to be the victim of political persecution, Trump is following the lead of some of the world’s most notorious demagogues. Trump’s talent for such propaganda is highlighted by the way he convinced millions of his supporters that the last election was rigged

Some political analysts have predicted that Trump’s indictment could to help him politically, at least in the short term. His campaign aides said he has been flooded with funds since a grand jury decided to indict him last week. And Trump’s rivals and potential rivals for the GOP presidential nomination have had little choice but to side with and criticize Bragg for his actions if they want to avoid alienating Trump’s base. But months before the GOP primary, it’s impossible to know how Tuesday’s events will play out. Early evidence suggests that the more extreme Trump becomes, the more popular he becomes with grassroots voters. But the past also holds less favorable political lessons for the former president. The extremism on display Tuesday night to the television audience was precisely the brand of radicalism that contributed to the Republicans’ disappointing finish in the 2020 election and 2022 midterm elections.