New York: Former US President Donald Trump has arrived here to face arraignment in a Manhattan court on charges related to paying hush money to a porn star during his 2016 presidential campaign.
Trump, 76, flew to New York City in his Boeing 757 aircraft from his Mar-a-Lago home on Monday and arrived at the La Guardia airport around 3 pm EST (12.30 am IST).
His motorcade then made its way to the Trump Tower on 5th Avenue in Manhattan where he will stay for the night. Streets around the high-end Trump Tower have been cordoned off, with heavy police presence in and around the area.
The former President waved at scores of his supporters as he came out from the SUV and was escorted immediately inside the building.
Trump, the first former US president to face a criminal charge, will appear before Judge Juan Merchan at 2.15 pm EST (11.45 pm IST) on Tuesday.
American media has quoted Trump’s attorneys as saying that the former president will plead not guilty. After his court appearance, Trump will immediately fly back to Florida where he will deliver remarks at Mar-a-Lago in Palm Beach in the evening.
The arraignment proceeding is expected to be brief. The charges in the indictment will be read to him at the hearing, which is set to last about 10-15 minutes. Trump has denied all wrongdoings in connection with the payments made to Stormy Daniels, 44, ahead of the 2016 presidential election.
The indictment comes as Trump faces legal hurdles in other potential criminal cases. Trump is currently the front-runner among all declared and potential contenders for the 2024 Republican White House nomination. But there is nothing in the US law that prevents a candidate, who is found guilty of a crime, from campaigning for and serving as President — even from prison.
Trump was twice impeached by the House of Representatives. He was acquitted by the Senate both times.
Trump and his aides are using the indictment to rile up his supporters and bolster his 2024 re-election campaign.
“It’s hard to believe that I will be ARRESTED tomorrow as a result of the most disgraceful witch hunt in our nation’s history,” a Trump Campaign mail titled Tomorrow, I will be arrested’ said, as it urged voters to make a “contribution” to his campaign given that the “fate of our Republic” is “on the line”.
Trump’s team claimed that he has “raised over USD 4 million” in the 24 hours following Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s “unprecedented political persecution of the President, and blatant interference in the 2024 election against the leading Republican presidential candidate”.
Another Trump Campaign email said that November 5, 2024 “will no longer just be an Election Day. It will be our Vindication Day. When we win, it will be a vindication for our movement but also a vindication for America”.
President Joe Biden, who was travelling to Minnesota, refrained from commenting on the legal battle that his predecessor is facing. Talking to reporters in Minneapolis, he exuded confidence that law and order would be maintained in New York City.
“I have faith in the New York Police Department,” he said.
“The president is focused on delivering for the American people. That’s what he wakes up and thinks about each day. We’re on our way to Minnesota where we’ll talk about the Invest in America tour,” Olivia Dalton, White House Deputy Press Secretary, told reporters during an Air Force One gaggle.
“He’s also talking about all the ways in which they’ve created an ecosystem for the private sector to invest in America as well,” Dalton said in response to a question.
Last week, Trump had exuded confidence that he would win “this battle” as well as the 2024 presidential elections.
“When this election is over, I will be the president of the United States, you will be vindicated and proud, and the thugs and criminals who are corrupting our justice system will be defeated, discredited, and totally disgraced,” Trump had said.
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