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NativePortlander1970 Speaking from an "other", and pointing out there are no "global leaders" but leaders of other nations around the world are watching, I think the USA is in a cleft stick.
I am sure there are some national governments, especially those who dislike the USA, who would agree with your view that the charges against Mr. Trump are "political". No doubt there are many Trump-loyal Americans who would agree with them.
I am equally sure that others do not see that. Ones who do see that America does not put its politicians above the law - and in any case, in the last few years Mr. Trump has been a candidate, not a politician.
How they see what develops will depend very much on what they think of America, even if that means ignoring any objective facts and understanding. Certainly among the USA's foes, because they will be encouraged by seeing any faults or weaknesses in how the nation runs herself.
Hence the cleft stick:
- Drop all charges against Trump, or at least acquit him in trials; and many will think it a measure of his personal, or the Republican Party's, influence over the American legal system.
- Continue in all proper legal ways, and if he is found guilty of any charges even in an open Court of Law of clear integrity, his supporters and some of the USA's enemies who might see him as their preferred President may well shout "Foul!" and accuse the Democratic Party of influencing the judiciary.
Either way those foreign governments who want for their own reasons to see the entire matter as purely political irrespective of any objective truth, will be encouraged by Americans themselves openly doing so.
Either way, whichever way any trials go, it will be very hard for the USA to convince everyone she does keep her judiciary at arm's-length from Government. (Though having the President appoint the most senior judges apparently according to their own political loyalties does not help - irrespective of Party, that does look openly political rather than judicial.)
The only way forwards really is to let the legal system take its course, and hope everyone afterwards can see Trump had been charged and tried properly, according to Law, in an open Court,
even if they do not like the outcome.
It will not be easy, but objectively, whichever Party you support if you are an American, or neither if you are a foreigner, the country owes it to herself and to the rest of world to show her own legal system is not a politician's play-thing; and that her politicians and political candidates are not above the Law.
