TO UPDATE: Donald Trump left the Manhattan Courthouse after being arrested and charged and pleaded not guilty to 34 charges related to falsifying business documents.
Trump did not make a statement after the hearing, which lasted about an hour, but plans to give a speech from Mar-a-Lago later that evening.
The hearing itself was closed to cameras and recording equipment, and some reporters left an overflow room to provide updates to their news outlets. NBC News’ Adam Reiss said prosecutors have raised concerns about Trump’s social media posts, including those targeting District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who predicted “death and destruction” if he was indicted. But there are no reports that Judge Juan Merchan ordered a muzzle.
EARLIER: Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 charges in the indictment.
The charges are based on falsifying business documents, a source told Deadline.
The indictment has been unsealed, but not yet made public.
One of the first reports from the courtroom came from NBC News’ Adam Reiss, who stepped out of an overflow room to speak with Lester Holt of NBC News and MSNBC. Reiss said prosecutors said Trump “attempted to cover up a conspiracy and undermine the 2016 election to identify and suppress negative information.” They claim Trump “referred” then-lawyer Michael Cohen to suppress negative information about an alleged relationship with pornographic actress Stormy Daniels.
The circus-like atmosphere outside the courthouse was heated when an anti-Trump crowd clashed with a Trump supporter. Among those spotted in the crowd: Michael Rapaport.
EARLIER: Donald Trump entered the courtroom for his arraignment during a hearing where he will hear the charges against him.
Trump appeared distraught and is with two of his aides, Jason Miller and Boris Epshteyn, and his lawyers in the court on the 15th floor in Manhattan. A reporter shouted a question from the hallway, asking if he wanted to speak to reporters, but he did not answer.
No audio or camera transmission of the proceedings will be permitted, and members of the press will not be permitted to use their electronic devices. Photographers are still allowed for a while.
“I have to wonder if what he read in the indictment was more than he expected,” Alyssa Farah Griffin, Trump’s former communications adviser, told CNN. Van Jones added: “It’s not that Judge Judy. It’s real.”
Spectators and media gathered outside the court, expecting Trump to make a statement after the hearing. His motorcade pulled into a side street closed to the public.
EARLIER: Donald Trump arrived in Manhattan Criminal Court for his arrest and arraignment as he tried to project an image of defiance in the first spectacle of a former president on trial.
Trump waved before entering the building surrounded by his security detail. Shortly before that, he wrote on Truth Social: “On the way to lower Manhattan, the courthouse. It seems so SURREAL – WOW, they will ARREST ME. I can’t believe this is happening in America. LIKE!”
The exact nature of the charges — believed to be related to so-called hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels — are expected to be released shortly before or at the start of his trial, which is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. ET. Trump will be pre-processed and fingerprinted, although there were reports that there would be no mug shot.
Radio stations broke in with regular programs to cover the scene, while cable stations followed his motorcade and his four-mile journey from Trump Tower to lower Manhattan.
“Right now at 1:24 a.m. Eastern time, Donald Trump is under arrest,” CNN host Anderson Cooper said as the chyron switched to “Donald Trump under arrest and awaiting arraignment.”
Speaking on MSNBC, Chris Jansing said it’s worth taking a moment to reflect on “the moment we’ve never been before, and that’s the moment he walked into this courthouse and officially by Donald Trump, the former president of the United States, who was the front-runner for the Republican nomination for the presidency of the United States, has now been arrested. We’ve never seen it before. It’s a sobering moment.”
Speaking on Fox News, John Roberts said, “What we’re seeing is something that’s happening for the first time.”
Some commentators noted that Trump performed Lock Her Up chants against his 2016 opponent Hillary Clinton.
The scene outside turned into something of a circus in the early morning when Representative George Santos (R-NY) arrived on the scene. The Daily Show’s Jordan Klepper bombarded him with questions: “Can you tell us about your volleyball career? Are you finally bringing legitimacy to this process?
The media crowd far outnumbered the protesters, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) who spoke in a nearby park. A man blew a whistle as she made brief remarks, making it difficult for onlookers to hear, but she spent much of her time berating Democrats. Counter-protesters also harassed her, and she only stayed a few minutes.
For most of the morning, Fox News, CNN and other broadcasters trained their cameras on Trump Tower, hoping to capture the moment it made its way to lower Manhattan. But until then there was really little news to report, as the indictment had not yet been released. Fox News focused in part on District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who has fueled criticism that he has been soft on crime.
Reporters, some of whom had been tasked with guarding the courthouse for weeks, reported an increase in security ahead of Trump’s arrival. In the hours leading up to this, Trump posted a series of tweets on Truth Social, including one that insulted the “highly partisan judge” in the case and his family. He also chided Fox News for accusing his former attorney general William Barr, whom he called a “complete coward.” Just before he left, Trump’s campaign sent out a donation email describing the charges as a “witch hunt.”
Security barriers were erected outside the courthouse and a horde of television crews lined the sidewalk.
Outside the courthouse, sunny skies and 1970s temperatures may have had a calming effect on the few dozen protesters. A group of Trump supporters, many wearing red hats and other distinctive clothing and flags (all rare sights in deep blue Manhattan), took positions in Collect Pond Park. Across from them was a gathering of anti-Trump activists, some with large black-and-white banners reading “Trump lies all the time.”
A small skirmish broke out when the banner was unfurled, and pushing and shoving continued throughout the morning, but a heavy police presence prevented serious clashes. To add another strange overlay, what happened in the small square park was closely monitored by hundreds of media representatives from a global collection of outlets.
Dade Hayes contributed to this report.
Source: Deadline
Mary Crossley is an author at “The Fashion Vibes”. She is a seasoned journalist who is dedicated to delivering the latest news to her readers. With a keen sense of what’s important, Mary covers a wide range of topics, from politics to lifestyle and everything in between.
