World News | Trump pleads not guilty to 34 counts against him in Manhattan court

NEW YORK/WASHINGTON, April 4 (PTI) Former U.S. President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty in a Manhattan court on Tuesday to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records during his arraignment over hush money payments to porn stars, the report said. is a historic criminal charge in exchange for her silence ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

The 76-year-old former president, who will rule the country for four years until January 2021, was arrested when he arrived in Manhattan criminal court to surrender himself. This is the first time a former US president has been arrested and charged criminally.

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Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 criminal counts of falsifying business records before state Supreme Court Judge Juan M Merchan. He pleaded guilty at a brief arraignment when prosecutors opened the grand jury indictment.

The former president had earlier arrived at the extra-secure Manhattan courthouse in a convoy of eight vehicles. He was arrested on arrival at court.

Read also | Donald Trump has become the first former US president to be arrested and will face charges in the porn star Stormy Daniels hush money probe.

Shortly after Trump’s arrest, his campaign released a mugshot of him printed on a T-shirt saying Not Guilty.

Trump’s lawyers said earlier that the Republican leader, who will win the White House for a second time in 2024, will plead not guilty to criminal charges he faces over hush money payments to adult film star Stormy Daniels.

Immediately after his court appearance, Trump will fly back to Florida where he is expected to speak in the evening at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach.

Trump has denied any wrongdoing in making payments to Stormy Daniels, 44, ahead of the 2016 presidential election.

“Going to lower Manhattan, courthouse. Looks so surreal – wow, they’re going to arrest me. Can’t believe this is happening in America. MAGA!” Trump posted to Truth Social on his way to the courthouse.

Security has been stepped up in New York, especially at courthouses in lower Manhattan, where hundreds of Trump supporters have landed in support of him. New York City Mayor Eric Adams warned against violating law and order.

The White House did not comment on the developments in New York, saying only that it was a legal matter.

“This is an ongoing case, so we won’t comment specifically on the case itself, but the president will focus on the American people as he does every day. It’s not his focus,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in her statement. “We’re going to focus on things like making sure … we continue to keep prices down for the American people,” Told reporters at the daily press briefing.

“Of course, a lot of the networks here are on for a few hours a day, so obviously when he has time for the news of the day, he sees some of it, but is that his focus today,” she said in response to a question explain.

President Joe Biden was not informed of Trump’s indictment, she said.

“He was briefed by his chief of staff and he learned about it through reporting as did all of you. Our focus right now is the American people. I’m just not going to comment on any ongoing cases,” she said.

News outlets are not allowed to air Trump’s arraignments.

Trump flew to New York City from his Mar-a-Lago estate on Monday.

The developments come as Trump faces legal hurdles in other potential criminal cases. Trump is currently the front-runner among all announced and potential contenders for the 2024 Republican White House nomination. But there is nothing in U.S. law that prevents a convicted candidate from running and serving as president — even while in prison.

Trump has been impeached twice by the House of Representatives. He was acquitted by the Senate both times. Trump and his aides are using the indictment to irritate his supporters and bolster his 2024 re-election bid.

Hours before his arraignment, Trump sent an email to his supporters that he claimed was his last before his arrest, saying the US was becoming a “Marxist Third World” country, And continue to question justice on social media.

“Last email before my arrest,” Trump said in the email’s subject line.

Trump wrote: “Today, we mourn the loss of justice in America. Today is a day when a ruling party arrests its main opponent because it did not commit a crime.”

“As I will be away for the next few hours I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all your support. I am overwhelmed by all the donations, support and prayers we have received. Sad to see what is happening – not for For myself — but for our country,” he said.

In less than 24 hours after being charged, he raised more than $4 million.

(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)