By John Ikani
Former US President Donald Trump has been charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records and has entered not guilty pleas on the charges.
This marks the first time a former US President has faced criminal charges.
Trump was arrested upon his arrival at the courthouse in New York, and surrendered to the Manhattan district attorney’s office in the same building before his hearing.
He is the current frontrunner to be the Republicans’ choice for the White House in 2024. Trump was wearing a dark blue suit and a red tie during the hearing, and it is unclear if a mugshot was taken.
During his arraignment, Trump was not handcuffed, but the formal charges which stem from a hush money payment were disclosed.
The 76-year-old former president is under investigation for allegedly making a $130,000 (£104,000) hush money payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels on his behalf in the lead-up to the 2016 presidential election, which he won.
This payment was reportedly made to prevent Daniels from discussing a sexual encounter she said she had with Trump at a hotel in Lake Tahoe in 2006.
Trump has denied having a sexual relationship with Ms Daniels.
However, Trump’s former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, claimed that the ex-president directed him to arrange the $130,000 payment to Ms Daniels.
Trump has acknowledged reimbursing him for the payment, and the Trump Organization logged the reimbursement as legal expenses.
The former President has denied any wrongdoing and plans to plead not guilty. He has labeled the indictment as a “witch-hunt” and claimed that it is politically motivated, as the man leading the investigation, District Attorney Alvin Bragg, is a Democrat.
According to him, the investigation is an attempt to weaken his bid to retake the White House next year.
Even if convicted, it would not prevent him from running for or winning the presidency in 2024.
Before the hearing, Trump was escorted from his nearby home at Trump Tower in a motorcade by his Secret Service protection team, pumping his fist in the air as he left.
Television cameras were not permitted inside the courtroom, according to a ruling by Judge Juan Merchan, but five still photographers were granted access to take pictures of Trump and the scene.
However, TV cameras were allowed in the hallways of the building, where Trump may talk to reporters when he is present.
Trump also wrote on his social media platform, Truth Social, “Heading to Lower Manhattan, the Courthouse. Seems so SURREAL – WOW, they are going to ARREST ME. Can’t believe this is happening in America. MAGA!”
The Manhattan investigation is just one of several legal challenges that Trump is facing.
In addition to the New York case, he also faces a separate criminal probe in Georgia into whether he unlawfully attempted to overturn his 2020 election defeat in that state.
Furthermore, he is under investigation by a special counsel for two separate cases, one of which relates to his efforts to overturn the 2020 vote more broadly, while the other concerns his handling of classified documents after leaving office.
