Donald Trump latest: Former President lashes out at ‘fake’ fraud indictment after pleading not guilty

Mr Trump was sombre in court as he was confronted with a 34-count felony indictment
Miriam Burrell5 April 2023

Donald Trump made a momentous courtroom appearance on Tuesday when he was confronted with a 34-count felony indictment charging him in a scheme to bury allegations of extramarital affairs that arose during his first White House campaign.

The arraignment in a Manhattan courtroom was a stunning - and humbling - spectacle for the first ex-president to ever face criminal charges.

The indictment centres on allegations that Mr Trump falsified internal business records at his private company while trying to cover up an effort to illegally influence the 2016 election by arranging payments that silenced claims potentially harmful to his candidacy.

Mr Trump, sombre and silent as he entered and exited the Manhattan courtroom, said "not guilty" in a firm voice.

As he returned to his Florida estate, Mar-a-Lago, where he delivered a primetime address to hundreds of supporters, Mr Trump again protested his innocence and asserted on his Truth Social platform that the "hearing was shocking to many in that they had no 'surprises', and therefore, no case."

"I never thought anything like this could happen in America," Mr Trump said of the New York indictment.

"This fake case was brought only to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election and it should be dropped immediately."

The next court date is December 4 - two months before Republicans begin their nominating process in earnest - and Mr Trump will again be expected to appear.

A conviction would not prevent Mr Trump from running for or winning the presidency in 2024.

5 April 2023

Live coverage ends

That’s all for our live coverage on Donald Trump’s indictment.

For a recap on what’s happened overnight, read our summary.

5 April 2023

Read Trump’s indictment in full

The indictment against Donald Trump was unsealed on Tuesday and has been made public.

The 13-page document outlines allegations that the former president “repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election”.

“From August 2015 to December 2017, the defendant orchestrated a scheme with others to influence the 2016 presidential election by identifying and purchasing negative information about him to suppress its publication and benefit the defendant’s electoral prospects,” the document reads.

5 April 2023

What legal experts say on the case against Trump

US legal experts have clashed over the strength of the legal case against Donald Trump.

Prosecutors say he falsified records about three hush-money payments as he campaigned for the presidency in 2016, and that his efforts to allegedly cover it up allowed the charges to be elevated to felonies.

But some experts were surprised that the indictment itself was not more specific about how each of the charges was elevated to a felony.

“There are an awful lot of dots here which it takes a bit of imagination to connect,” said Richard Klein, a Touro Law Centre criminal law professor.

Meanwhile Renato Mariotti, a former federal prosecutor, told ABC News: “They did talk about tax crimes, and I think that could be potentially more compelling for the jury.

“It’s a safer bet than the campaign finance crimes.”

5 April 2023

What happens next?

Following Donald Trump’s arraignment, prosecutors are expected to produce their evidence in the next 65 days.

The former US president’s legal team then has until August 8 to file any motions - requests to the court for a judge to make a decision about the case.

The prosecution will respond by September 19.

Judge Juan Merchan said he will rule on the motions at the next in-person hearing, scheduled for December 4.

Trump’s lawyers are expected to work over the next few months to get the case, and any possible trial, dismissed.

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POOL/AFP via Getty Images
5 April 2023

Trump could win election if he became ‘serious issues’ politician

Former Deputy Chief of Mission to US Embassy in London, Lewis Lukens, told Sky News Donald Trump could probably win the 2024 presidential election “if he concentrated... on the right issues” and “stuck to the script”.

But, “people get tired of Donald Trump complaining about how difficult his life has been” and President Joe Biden will win, Mr Lukens said on Wednesday.

“The problem for Donald Trump is that he hasnt changed very much.

“If he could change and become a serious issues-focused politican I think he would have a very good chance of winning the presidency again, but I think he’s incapable of change.”

5 April 2023

Trump looked ‘vulnerable’ in court, former UK ambassador says

Donald Trump looked “a bit vulnerable” during his appearance at a Manhattan courthouse, former UK ambassador to the US Lord Darroch said.

“I thought that in the arraignment proceedings he looked subdued and generally worried about what was happening,” he told Sky News.

”He’s never actually had to face this before and I thought it was a of a side of Donald Trump we don’t often see.

“He looked a bit vulnerable.”

Lord Darroch said in contrast, during his speech at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida, “in front of his audience of supporters you saw classic Trump”.

“He was out there on his bombastic best or worse,” he said, adding that Mr Trump “feeds” off the energy of his supporters.

5 April 2023

The case against Trump

Donald Trump is accused of making false records in his family real estate company’s books to conceal that he reimbursed his personal lawyer Michael Cohen for a $130,000 hush money payment before the 2016 election to porn star Stormy Daniels.

Falsification of business records in New York is a misdemeanor but is a felony when done with the intent to conceal another crime.

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the scheme aimed to cover up a violation of a New York state law making it illegal to conspire to “promote a candidacy by unlawful means.”

He said the $130,000 payment exceeded the federal limit on campaign contributions.

A separate filing by prosecutors, known as a statement of facts, detailed similar schemes Mr Trump allegedly orchestrated to silence two other people who said they had damaging information about him.

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Alvin Bragg
AFP via Getty Images
5 April 2023

‘A very dark cloud over our beloved country'

In his speech to supporters at his Florida home, Donald Trump called for the “fake” case around alleged falsifying of business records to “be dropped immediately”.

“I never thought anything like this could happen in America,” Mr Trump said of the New York indictment.

“With all of this being said, and with a very dark cloud over our beloved country, I have no doubt nevertheless we will make America great again.

“The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it,” he added.

Mr Trump appeared more subdued than usual.

Former U.S. President Donald Trump indicted by a Manhattan grand jury
Donald Trump shakes hands with his son Donald Trump Jr.
REUTERS

5 April 2023

What did Trump say after his court appearance?

Donald Trump returned to his Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, after pleading not guilty to 34 charges in a Manhattan courthouse.

He spoke for less than 30 minutes at an event attended by hundreds of guests, including his long-time ally Roger Stone. Mr Trump’s wife Melania was not by his side.

“They can’t beat us at the ballot box, so they try to beat us through the law,” he told his supporters.

“We are a nation in decline, and now these radical left lunatics want to interfere in elections by using law enforcement. We can’t let that happen.”

Mr Trump also used his speech to criticise a separate Justice Department investigation into the mishandling of classified documents.

*** BESTPIX *** Former President Donald Trump Holds A Press Conference At Mar-a-Lago After Being Arraigned In New York
Getty Images
5 April 2023

Trump arraignment: What we know so far

  • Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records at a Manhattan courthouse
  • He was warned by Justice Juan Merchan to avoid making comments that were inflammatory or could cause civil unrest
  • The next court hearing has been set for December 4
  • Mr Trump flew home to Florida where he aired his grievances against investigators, prosecutors and rival politicians in a speech to supporters at his Mar-a-Lago club
  • Prosecutor Chris Conroy said Mr Trump tried to “conceal an illegal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 presidential election” and other election laws