Indiana
Will convicted felon Donald Trump remain on Indiana’s ballot in November?
Trump reacts to guilty verdict after jury convicted him on all 34 felony charges
Donald Trump was found guilty of falsifying business records to hide a hush money payment to adult film actress Stormy Daniels.
Former President Donald Trump easily secured enough delegates to make Indiana’s November ballot for president and, despite his historic criminal conviction Thursday, there he will likely remain.
It’s the immediate question on voters’ minds as the jury read its verdict convicting Trump of 34 counts of falsifying business records related to hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign.
Though Indiana has its own set of stringent signature qualifications for making it on the ballot ― which Trump did in February ― state law does not prohibit a convicted felon from holding federal office. Neither does the U.S. Constitution.
Live updates: Former President Donald Trump found guilty on all counts in hush money case
What does Indiana law say?
Indiana law says a person is disqualified from running for state or local elected office for a slew of reasons, including having a felony conviction. Candidates are also disqualified if they offer a “bribe, threat or reward” to secure a seat, are on active military duty or serve as a nonjudicial court employee.
But that section of Indiana law “does not apply to a candidate for federal office,” it says.
The only parameters listed in the U.S. Constitution are that a candidate be 35 years old, a natural-born citizen and a resident for at least 14 years.
It’s voters’ choice
So it’s up to voters, not the legal system, to decide whether they want a convicted felon to serve as president of the United States. Pundits everywhere are likely trying to predict whether the conviction may alter the Republican math: It certainly has emboldened his base of support, but what about moderate voters?
In Indiana, Trump remains popular. But Nikki Haley, Trump’s opponent on the Indiana Republican primary ballot, still pulled nearly 22% of the statewide vote in May, despite having already announced she was dropping out of the race in what some experts say could have been a warning sign.
Indiana’s moderate Republican Sen. Todd Young isn’t commenting. More conservative Indiana lawmakers like Sen. Mike Braun and Rep. Jim Banks, meanwhile, are resolutely digging their heels in behind Trump.
Banks tweeted a picture of the Appeal to Heaven flag, which was carried by rioters at the Capitol on Jan. 6.
Trump’s sentencing is scheduled for July 11, just days before the Republican convention. Since he’s a first-time offender, he might get a light sentence, such as home confinement or a short jail sentence, legal experts say. He also could appeal the decision.
Can one hold federal office while in behind bars?
“Well, while it might pose logistical problems, there aren’t any laws stopping anyone,” University of Colorado law professor Paul Campos told USA Today.
Contact IndyStar state government and politics reporter Kayla Dwyer at kdwyer@indystar.com or follow her on Twitter@kayla_dwyer17.
Indiana Dunes balance environment and development after years of debate
Indiana Dunes reach a turning point as preservation efforts and regional growth pressures shape the future of the lakeshore landscape
Last year, the Trump administration asked visitors to hundreds of national parks to report any “divisive” signs or monuments that tarnished the country’s image.
Called “snitch signs” by critics, notices with QR codes appeared in places that included Indiana Dunes National Park, encouraging visitors to report signage that portrayed Americans negatively, or failed to “emphasize the beauty, grandeur, and abundance” of the park’s landscape.
Roughly 35,000 comments poured in from June 4, 2025, to Jan. 14, 2026. The campaign, however, appears to have backfired.
The submissions were released by the agency in May. While a significant number appeared to be non-political, copy-pasted duplicates, jokes, memes or submissions written by the same person, USA TODAY found an overwhelming majority of unique entries were critical of the White House’s effort to rid the national parks of “woke ideology.”
In Indiana, feedback from visitors was nearly all positive, expressing support toward National Park Service rangers and criticizing the Trump Administration.
One person at Indiana Dunes National Park appeared to take issue with a sign at the Bailey Homestead painting what they called “an outdated and overly idyllic picture” of the fur trade.
“There shouldn’t be signs about history that whitewash and erase the centuries of discrimination against the people who have cared for this land for generations,” they wrote, advocating collaboration with local tribal leaders to determine how the history of the land and its people should be represented.
Others submitted comments that took direct shots at the current administration.
“Censoring the ‘negative’ parts of our history is cowardly and un-American,” wrote one visitor to Indiana Dunes National Park who identified themselves as a U.S. Marine Corps veteran.
“Asking visitors to tattle on history because it makes someone uncomfortable is beyond ridiculous, it’s dangerous,” wrote another visitor last June. “What’s next? Rewriting trail signs so we don’t hurt Andrew Jackson’s feelings?”
White House defends president’s order to ‘restore sanity’ to History
The controversial signs contested at U.S. national parks resulted from an executive order President Donald Trump signed in March 2025, titled “restoring truth and sanity to American History.”
In the order, Trump directed federal officials to remove any language from the country’s national parks, monuments and museums the portrayed the country as “inherently racist, sexist, oppressive, or otherwise irredeemably flawed.”
The White House defended the president’s order as “honoring our country’s extraordinary heritage and restoring a sense of national pride” in a statement provided to The Courier Journal, which examined similar feedback from visitors at Kentucky’s Mammoth Cave National Park.
“The President has put an end to the radical left’s divisive and inaccurate characterization of our nation’s history, which infiltrated our national parks and museums, and is restoring truth and sanity,” said White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers.
Story continues after photo gallery
In a statement, the Department of the Interior, which oversees the park service, said it was implementing the president’s order “to review interpretive materials to ensure accuracy, honesty, and alignment with shared national values.”
National Park Service staff “were asked to identify materials that might warrant clarification,” the department said. “Elevating an item for consideration does not mean it violates the Order, and it does not mean it will be changed. In the vast majority of cases across the system, flagged materials remain unchanged.”
A court filing from June 17 reveals 57 exhibits, signs or other materials were removed by the Trump administration from monuments, parks or other sites across the country —none of which included Indiana, IndyStar confirmed with the Department of the Interior.
If the administration was hoping for Americans to be more supportive of its efforts, it made a poor bet. Some visitors to national parks in the Hoosier State sounded livid.
National park visitors in Indiana had this to say about Trump’s ‘snitch signs’
IndyStar reviewed more than 200 comments submitted to the administration from June 11, 2025 through Dec. 11, 2025 across three Indiana-based national parks — Indiana Dunes National Park in Porter, George Rogers Clark National Historical Park in Vincennes, and Lincoln Boyhood National Memorial in Lincoln City.
The following comments provide a sample of what was said, some edited minimally for clarity and length.
On supporting the National Park Service with praise, more funding, more signage
- “The NPS deserves more staff, money, resources. These new signs asking for reporting of negative signage is actually insane. Not all American history is great, but it’s all important. There should actually be more information readily available and posted throughout all our parks talking about the native peoples that inhabited these lands before and the atrocities committed toward them.”
- “If you actually want to protect the ‘beauty, grandeur, and abundance of landscapes and other natural features’ the Department of the Interior should be providing more funding to rangers in all departments and their work. Fund the national parks, hire more NPS staff, and make sure the diverse ecosystems of the Indiana Dunes can be protected for years to come.”
- “Love this park (George Rogers Clark National Historical Park); keep up the good work NPS and ignore the BS coming from above.”
- “Thank you to my park rangers for everything you do! You are so valued by this American and everyone I know. We appreciate you for remaining steadfast in your service. Thank you a thousand times. Please continue to tell factual and honest information, including all details of history.”
Critiques directed against the Trump Administration against censorship in Indiana
- “Censoring the ‘negative’ parts of our history is cowardly and un-American. Hiding the science of how human activity & climate change is expected to affect the Parks in the future is likewise a cowardly form of censorship. As a veteran of the USMC, I am deeply disappointed in this administration, especially regarding their attempts to manipulate the history and science of our public lands in this way.”
- “This QR code to erase history is appalling. Grow up (Interior) Secretary Burgum.”
- “This isn’t patriotism, it’s political theater, and we all see through it. Please return to educating —not editing — history!”
- “This is a message for the Trump administration: Hands off our history,” submitted one commenter at Indiana Dunes National Park. “The rangers at this National Park are doing a great job. They are providing an essential service, protecting our history and beautiful natural landscapes for future generations. Instead of undermining them, you should support them.”
- “This Orwellian attempt to sanitize history is not only insulting to the intelligence of the American people— it’s a grotesque misuse of my taxpayer dollars. Parks are not propaganda zones. They are places of learning, reflection, and truth. …You’re wasting time and resources chasing culture war shadows when park infrastructure, staffing, and preservation desperately need funding. How about spending $45 million on our Parks instead of pacifying the Mango Mussolini.”
- “I’m writing to express my frustration over the absurd QR code initiative asking visitors to report supposedly negative historical facts at national parks. It is a total waste of my taxpayer dollars! If the Trump administration is trying to save money then this stupid idea is not going to do this! Instead Trump should be funding more money into our National Parks which are our national treasure. Please return to educating, not editing our history!”
- “This bull**** idea that we cannot show anything ‘negative about either past or living Americans.’ This is un-American.”
- “Requesting feedback on ‘signs or other information that are negative about either past or living Americans, or that fail to emphasize the beauty, grandeur, and abundance of landscapes and other natural features?’ THIS sign is about as un-American as the thing you see in the mirror. Respectfully, GO F*** YOURSELVES.” Rangers, have a lovely day. You are appreciated.”
- “I do not appreciate the portrayal of America that this very feedback sign connotes. That our federal government can’t tolerate any semblance of ‘negative’ aspects of our history so that we can grow and learn from the mistakes of our past concerns me greatly. Our very ability to be responsive and adaptive is an example of the moral beauty of our country and this sign is the opposite of that which the moral fabric of our country should be.”
- “I don’t know why the government is wasting time looking at this. History is sometimes negative. Not all people, just because they were born in the US, are good people. Continue to be honest in signage. History is history, it is not based on what people want it to be.”
- “Signs asking me to snitch on other signs as sources of historical knowledge that are inconvenient for the illusion of a squeaky clean national history are negative about past and living Americans who deserve acknowledgement, and those signs should be removed.”
What park visitors in Indiana said about the subject of history
- “These national parks are a treasure and so are the people working them. Our story (and I am a white Republican female) is the story of all. Diminishing voices simply because they don’t jive with Trump’s narrative is truly insane: it’s the opposite of the claim ‘restoring sanity…’. Our history isn’t perfect, but if we keep telling it to include the good and bad, as well as the stories of all, we will continue to grow.”
- “Let’s recognize our history, including our shortcomings and our failures. Let’s learn and grow from our mistakes instead of pretending they never happened.”
- “We are strong enough to learn that sometimes in history, America has been evil and that LGBTQ people and Black people exist.”
- “We like our history interesting, exciting, and EXACTLY how it happened. The government has no business whitewashing history to fit some ‘reality’ that never happened. The national parks belong to the American people, not an administration bent on a ‘pretend’ past. Believe me, the American people see through that every time.”
- “I’m very concerned that there are discussions within the new administration of whitewashing historical information on the country. Our national parks should tell the full story of our country’s history, including the chapters that we are not proud of, but that we can learn from so as not to repeat them.”
- “Honest storytelling matters for all visitors — our parks must reflect our full history and include all our stories. Discouraging ‘any signs or other information that are negative about past or living Americans’ is erasing a very real history that people come to these parks to learn about. All of our parks were sacred spaces for indigenous people that past (and living) Americans have committed atrocities against. To pretend that didn’t happen disrespects the legacy and memory of these places.”
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John Tufts covers trending and breaking news for IndyStar and Midwest Connect. Send him a news tip at John.Tufts@IndyStar.com. Find him on BlueSky at JohnWritesStuff.
The Chicago Bears this weekend said they are assessing land at Wolf Lake Terminals in Hammond, Indiana, for a possible new stadium.
The Northwest Indiana Times reported that soil drilling equipment was spotted near the site, located west of the Indiana Toll Road (Interstate 90) in Hammond.
Logistics and storage facilities are currently located on the site, the paper reported.
“This activity is part of the normal site evaluation process as we continue to advance our stadium development project in Hammond,” the Bears said in a statement issued to CBS News Chicago. “We have an excellent option already in place and continue to assess additional parcels of land in the Wolf Lake region to ensure we place the stadium and mixed-use district in the very best location to serve all of Chicagoland.”
Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. is staying tight-lipped on the search, but said he is confident the Bears are heading to Indiana.
Earlier this month, the team announced the plan to build a new stadium complex in Hammond.
A bill passed by Indiana lawmakers calls for $1 billion in taxpayer money to be put toward infrastructure around the stadium, which officials said would support plans for retail, restaurants and residential units to be built around the stadium complex.
The Bears say they are also continuing negotiations with Illinois lawmakers.
INDIANAPOLIS — Kelsey Mitchell scored 26 points and the Indiana Fever thumped the Sparks 111-87 with two of the league’s top scorers sidelined on Saturday night.
Caitlin Clark, averaging 21.2 points and 8.2 assists for Indiana (11-8), missed the game with a back injury but shouldn’t be sidelined for long, according to coach Stephanie White.
Kelsey Plum, second in the league with a 23.9 points per game scoring average, is expected to miss at least four weeks for the Sparks (8-10) with an injury to her left leg.
Nneka Ogwumike had 17 points and seven rebounds and Dearica Hamby scored 15 for the Sparks, who became the first team in league history to surrender 110-plus points in back-to-back games.
Mitchell made nine of 13 shots — four of six from three-point range — and all four of her free throws. She hit two three-pointers and added a three-point play in the third quarter, scoring 13 to help Indiana up its lead to 33 before cruising to the finish.
Aliyah Boston scored 15 of her 17 points and grabbed all seven of her rebounds in the first half to help Indiana build a 57-37 advantage. Tyasha Harris — starting in place of Clark — scored 16, while Monique Billings added 15 points. The Fever shot 55.2% overall while making 10 of 19 from distance and 27 of 33 at the foul line.
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