Former President Donald Trump arrived at a Manhattan courtroom Tuesday where he will hear the charges against him.
Trump has said he will plead “not guilty” to charges stemming from to an alleged hush money payment to pornographic actress Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election. Trump attorney Michael Cohen allegedly paid Daniels $130,000 to keep her from claiming publicly that she had an affair with Trump in 2006, and the case hinges on whether Trump broke the law by reimbursing Cohen for the payment. Trump has maintained that he never had an affair with Daniels.
This will mark the first time in history a former president has been arraigned for a crime, and Trump faces more than 30 counts related to business fraud, CNN reported.
Trump flew from Florida to New York on Monday, and said he would voluntarily turn himself in to the courthouse in Manhattan on Tuesday. He will likely have his fingerprints taken, but a perp walk, handcuffs and a mugshot are unlikely, The New York Times reported, citing people with knowledge of the matter. (RELATED: ‘America Was Not Supposed To Be This Way!’: Trump Confirms NYC Court Date)
Trump is then expected to fly to Mar-a-Lago to give a speech Tuesday night.
NEW YORK, NY – APRIL 04: Supporters and opponents of former President Donald Trump are kept apart outside of the Manhattan Criminal Court before his arraignment on April 04, 2023 in New York City. Trump will be arraigned during his first court appearance today following an indictment by a grand jury that heard evidence about money paid to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election. With the indictment, Trump becomes the first former U.S. president in history to be charged with a criminal offense. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images)
Protesters gathered across the street from the courthouse in the hours leading up to Trump’s arrival, including Republican Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and George Santos of New York.
Trump reacted to his indictment on Thursday, calling it “Political Persecution and Election Interference at the highest level in history.”
On Monday, Trump claimed that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg leaked information to the press about his indictment, and called for him to “indict himself.”
“Wow! District Attorney Bragg just illegally LEAKED the various points, and complete information, on the pathetic Indictment against me,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “I know the reporter and so, unfortunately, does he. This means that he MUST BE IMMEDIATELY INDICTED. Now, if he wants to really clean up his reputation, he will do the honorable thing and, as District Attorney, INDICT HIMSELF. He will go down in Judicial history, and his Trump Hating wife will be, I am sure, very proud of him!”
The former president did not provide evidence to substantiate his claim that Bragg leaked information about the sealed indictment to the press.