On Tuesday, former President Donald Trump surrendered to the police and appeared in a Manhattan courtroom where he pleaded not guilty to 34 counts, including falsifying business records. The charges were issued by a grand jury convened by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who has been investigating a payment made on Trump’s behalf to an adult film star in 2016. The payment was made in exchange for her silence about an alleged affair, which Trump denies.
Trump’s Secret Service motorcade left Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan for the courthouse, cutting through New York traffic with a police escort while spectators looked on. He waved to the crowd and cameras before entering the courthouse to turn himself in. While in custody at Manhattan Criminal Courthouse, he was expected to have his fingerprints taken but was not expected to have his mug shot taken or be placed in handcuffs.
Over an hour after arriving, Trump entered the courtroom where a judge oversaw his arraignment hearing. Although no video recording was allowed, a few photographers were briefly allowed to take pictures. One photo shows Trump sitting at the defense table, flanked by his attorneys.
This case could have serious implications for Trump’s ongoing bid for the White House race as it unfolds over the next few months. He is the first former U.S. president to be charged with a crime. Trump has maintained his innocence and has called the investigation a politically motivated “witch hunt.”
After the hearing, the former president is expected to be released and return to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, where he is scheduled to address supporters later that evening
