GRIM-faced Donald Trump sat silently in court yesterday — as the first former or sitting US President to be criminally charged.
The 76-year-old — frontrunner for the Republican nomination in 2024 — was formally arrested and charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records.
After a clerk read out the indictment number, 71543, at the New York hearing, the former President stayed seated and, in a throaty voice, declared: “Not guilty.”
Trump is accused over alleged hush payments to porn star Stormy Daniels and former Playboy playmate Karen McDougal in 2016.
Earlier, he appeared calm and mostly stared ahead as he and his legal team entered the 15th-floor room of the Manhattan Criminal Courts building.
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Known as Part 59, it is the same court where film mogul Harvey Weinstein was put on trial for rape and sexual assault.
Before the hearing, Trump was fingerprinted and processed inside the courthouse — but he didn’t have his mugshot taken.
The hearing was then slightly delayed as his legal team reviewed the indictment.
Journalists allowed on the 15th floor were subjected to a bag search. Two dozen police stood guard along the corridor, where the bathrooms had been closed.
A total of 24 court security officers and police plus four Secret Service agents stood guard.
Five sketch artists sat in the jury box, furiously trying to capture the unprecedented scene.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg entered the court shortly before Trump and took a seat at the front right.
As tension mounted and the temperature rose — the air conditioning was not on and the blinds were shut — Trump entered at 2.29pm, 14 minutes late.
He was wearing his trademark red tie and dark blue suit.
He walked slowly towards the front, staring straight ahead.
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The ex-President stood with his arms by his sides before being shown to a seat to the left where he sat next to his attorneys, Susan Necheles and Todd Blanche.
Judge Juan Merchan ordered both sides to calm down after prosecutors complained about Trump’s recent social media posts, including one of him holding a baseball bat against the head of the top prosecutor in the case.
The judge said he was not issuing a gagging order, as had been suggested, as Trump was a “candidate for President of the United States” and his “First Amendment rights are critically important”.
After the hearing, which lasted just under an hour, Trump took a private jet to his Florida home.
He was due to address his supporters from there late last night. Trump denies the claim by 44-year-old Daniels, real name Stephanie Clifford, that they had sex once in 2006.
The alleged affair came a year after he had married wife Melania.
He also denies wrongdoing related to the £104,000 ($130,000) payment his former lawyer Michael Cohen allegedly gave Daniels to keep quiet about the tryst before the 2016 presidential election.
Ahead of the historic hearing, Trump lashed out at Mr Bragg and claimed the DA had been influenced in bringing the charges by his wife, Jamila.
Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform: “He will go down in Judicial history, and his Trump Hating wife will be, I’m sure, very proud of him!”
A Manhattan grand jury voted to indict Trump last Thursday but the charges had remained under seal.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked about President Joe Biden’s reaction to Trump’s arraignment and said: “This is not his focus today.”
Trump critic Rep Adam Schiff, a Democrat from California, tweeted: “A sombre moment in the life of our country, when it is necessary to arraign a former president on criminal charges. As the case falls to the District Attorney to prove, we must recognise what is most important: Even the most powerful are held to account, and that nobody is above the law.”
Earlier in the day the former President was seen leaving his Trump Tower residence in the city.
And he wrote: “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!”
Trump arrived at the court building in Manhattan flanked by a secret service and police motorcade.
Police estimated there were 300 Trump supporters near the court, with about 150 demonstrating against him. There were scuffles before police separated the groups in a park behind barricades.
Anti-Trump protesters rolled out a sign saying: “Trump lies all the time.” Another said: “Lock him up.”
Trump supporters, meanwhile, waved banners declaring “Trump or Death” and wrapped themselves in American flags.
Pro-Trump politician Marjorie Taylor Greene walked through the crowd and made bizarre claims comparing him to Jesus.
She said: “President Trump is joining some of the most incredible people in history in being arrested today. Nelson Mandela was arrested, served time in prison.
“Jesus was arrested and murdered by the Roman government.”
Journalists began lining up outside the court at 2pm on Monday.
Judge Merchan banned TV cameras from the court after Trump’s lawyers argued it would create a “circus-like atmosphere”.
Reporters were banned from using phones and laptops.
Trump is now due to reappear in court in December. If found guilty he could face jail, although that is thought to be unlikely.
Donald Trump's 34 charges
DONALD Trump denied 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree and conspiracy over his alleged role in giving cash to an adult film star to hush up an affair.
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg has been investigating a $130,000 (£105,000) payment to Stormy Daniels by ex-Trump lawyer Michael Cohen.
Trump acknowledged reimbursing him, and this is not illegal, but the record of the payment claimed it was for legal fees.
Prosecutors say this amounts to falsifying business records, with each cheque Trump wrote counted as separate charges.