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Private citizen Donald Trump appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court Monday afternoon, accompanied only by his Secret Service detail and his attorneys, and was arrested, fingerprinted, and arraigned before New York Judge Juan Manuel Merchan on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to his hush money payoff of a porn star in an attempt to protect his 2016 presidential campaign.
He pleaded “not guilty,” according to multiple sources including CNN.
Trump pleads not guilty – 34 counts of falsifying business records in first degree
— Scott MacFarlane (@MacFarlaneNews) April 4, 2023
No mug shot was taken, nor was he handcuffed.
“They said that Mr. Trump tried to conceal a conspiracy and undermine the 2016 election,” an NBC producer said on-air, “to identify and suppress negative information.”
“They said that Mr. Trump tried to conceal a conspiracy and undermine the 2016 election, to identify and suppress negative information. “ pic.twitter.com/uRQoLLNBkM
— Acyn (@Acyn) April 4, 2023
As he walked slowly toward the courtroom at about 2:30 PM, Trump looked grim. There was no attempt to smile, no iconic thumbs up. He was a picture of anger.
BREAKING: Pres. Trump enters courtroom for arraignment hearing. https://t.co/XODSVhRvCF pic.twitter.com/km2MchOExi
— ABC News (@ABC) April 4, 2023
“Trump did not answer any questions or speak before entering the room,” CNN’s Kaitlan Collins reports.
READ MORE: Trump Loses Emergency Appeal to Block Top Aides From Testifying Before Special Counsel’s Grand Jury
Trump’s facial expression did not change inside the courtroom.
CNN’s Jake Tapper remarked on the photo, “That is a pissed-off Donald Trump.”
An extraordinary image out of a NYC courtroom – that’s criminal defendant Donald Trump, in the custody of the Manhattan DA, and under the control of court officers as he attends his arraignment. @jaketapper on @CNN just now – “That is a pissed off Donald Trump.” (Pool photo) pic.twitter.com/sEC4wg0UG3
— Polo Sandoval (@PoloSandovalCNN) April 4, 2023
George Conway, speaking on CNN, reportedly said of the ex-president: “This is a man who is not in control of this situation, and his personality is the kind that tries to control everything and everyone around him. He’s a criminal defendant. The process will take its toll on him.”
This is a breaking news and developing story.
This article has been updated to correctly identify the courthouse Trump was arraigned in: Manhattan Criminal Court.
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