LATEST UPDATES

As it happened: Trump pleads not guilty to 34 felony charges

He is accused of falsifying business records after an investigation into a hush-money payment made to adult film star Stormy Daniels

TIMELINE
Live Updates
Apr 04, 2023, 11:58 PM

Trump indictment released

The first felony charge that Donald Trump faces is the accusation of falsifying business records of the first degree, according to the unsealed indictment.


The unsealed indictment against former US president Donald Trump. Photo: Screengrab / Manhattan District Attorney's Office


Charges two and three that Donald Trump faces. Photo: Screengrab / Manhattan District Attorney's Office


"The defendant, in the County of New York and elsewhere, on or about February 14, 2017, with intent to defraud and intent to commit another crime and aid and conceal the commission thereof, made and caused a false entry in the business records of an enterprise, to wit, an invoice from Michael Cohen dated February 14, 2017, marked as a record of the Donald J Trump Revocable Trust, and kept and maintained by the Trump Organisation," the unsealed indictment reads.


Cohen delivered a $130,000 payment to Stormy Daniels in exchange for her silence over an affair she claims to have had with Mr Trump in 2006.


Mr Trump faces an additional 31 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first degree.


Read the full indictment here.


Apr 04, 2023, 10:51 PM

Trump pleads not guilty to 34 felony charges

Former US president Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records after an investigation over alleged hush-money authorised to adult film star Stormy Daniels.


Apr 05, 2023, 05:08 AM

Trump hits back following 'ridiculous indictment'

Mr Trump delivers remarks at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida. EPA

Thomas Watkins reports from Washington: 


Former president Donald Trump hit back at New York prosecutors and slammed their "ridiculous indictment" on Tuesday, hours after he pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges.


Speaking in a ballroom packed with fans, family and political supporters at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, Mr Trump said the criminal case against him was an "insult to our country".


"I never thought anything like this could happen in America — never thought it could happen," he said.


"The only crime that I've committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it."


The 25-minute speech marked his first public comments since flying to New York on Monday ahead of his arraignment on dozens of charges stemming from an alleged scheme to illegally influence the 2016 election by paying hush money to adult film star Stormy Daniels.


Read more


Apr 05, 2023, 04:16 AM

What has Donald Trump been charged with?

Former US President Donald Trump with his defence team during his arraignment at the court in New York. AFP

Former US president Donald Trump on Tuesday was charged with 34 felony counts for falsifying business records in New York, making him the first president to face criminal charges.


What was Mr Trump charged with? How was he falsifying business records? Why were his alleged actions illegal? And how directly was he involved in the scheme? 


The National takes a look at what these questions.


Apr 05, 2023, 02:53 AM

Trump lands in Florida after being charged in New York

Former US president Donald Trump is now in Florida after a short flight from New York, where he was formally charged with 34 felony counts. 


It is expected that he will speak at his Mar-a-Lago resort and home, making the first public remarks after the historic arraignment earlier on Tuesday. 


Apr 05, 2023, 02:32 AM

Trump judge warns against talk that may incite violence

The New York judge overseeing the criminal case against Donald Trump over hush-money payments urged the parties to refrain from making public statements that could incite violence or unrest.


Mr Trump, the first former US president to be indicted, on Tuesday pleaded not guilty to 34 criminal counts in the Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s case against him.


The city’s police department, the US Secret Service and other authorities remain on high alert given the political firestorm over the case.


Prosecutors raised Mr Trump's past incendiary talk in seeking a court order that would prevent him from posting documents from the case on social media.


Judge Juan Manuel Merchan did not issue a ruling on the protective order request.


But he told the lawyers to tell their clients to “please refrain from making statements that are likely to incite violence or civil unrest".


Bloomberg


Apr 05, 2023, 02:01 AM

Trump claims 'nothing done illegally' in face of felony charges 

Former US president Donald Trump posted on his Truth Social network shortly after a historic arraignment in which he was formally charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records. 


"The hearing was shocking to many in that they had no 'surprises,' and therefore, no case," Mr Trump wrote. 


"Virtually every legal pundit has said that there is no case here." 


Mr Trump posted the message during his flight from New York to Florida, where he will give a speech on Tuesday evening after returning to his Mar-a-Lago estate. 


He made a claim disputing the charges in his post: "There was nothing done illegally." 


Apr 05, 2023, 12:40 AM

Manhattan District Attorney calls Trump actions 'criminal conduct'

Patrick deHahn reports from New York City:


Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said "we cannot and will not normalise criminal conduct", in his first public remarks about the New York investigation into former US president Donald Trump. 


"This afternoon, Donald Trump was arraigned on a New York Supreme Court indictment returned by a Manhattan grand jury on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first degree," he said to reporters.


Mr Bragg spoke shortly after Mr Trump was formally arraigned on 34 felony counts, on which he pleaded not guilty, making him the first US president to face criminal charges. 


He said Mr Trump tried to cover up crimes with the scheme of hush-money payments to people during his 2016 presidential campaign. 


"Why did Donald Trump repeatedly make these false statements? The evidence will sw that he did so to cover up crimes relating to the 2016 election," Mr Bragg said. 


Apr 05, 2023, 12:01 AM

Prosecutors want January 2024 trial date

Manhattan prosecutors said they intend to request a start trial date of January 2024, which is right before the presidential primary season.


Lawyers for Mr Trump called their timeline "a little aggressive" and suggested a trial start date in spring 2024, Reuters reported.


Apr 04, 2023, 11:43 PM

Court publicly releases unsealed indictment against Trump

The Manhattan District Attorney's office on Tuesday afternoon publicly issued the indictment brought against former president Donald Trump, unveiling the official charges he faces.


"We just announced a 34-count felony indictment of former President Donald J Trump," a tweet by attorney Alvin Bragg reads. 


"Manhattan is home to the country's most signifcant business market," Mr Bragg said in a statement.


"We cannot allow New York businesses to manipulate their records to cover up criminal conduct.


"As this office has done time and time again, we today uphold our solemn responsibility to ensure that everyone stands equal under the law."


The full indictment is available here


Apr 04, 2023, 11:30 PM

Trump departs court after arraignment

Donald Trump left the court in lower Manhattan shortly before 3.30pm EST after he pleaded not guilty to 34 felony charges. He did not speak when entering or leaving the court room.


His motorcade is heading straight to LaGuardia Airport, Fox News reported.


He is expected to fly back to Florida, where he is scheduled to speak from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach at 8.15pm EST.


Apr 04, 2023, 11:21 PM

Manhattan's District Attorney to speak soon on Trump indictment

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg is scheduled to speak at 3.30pm EST on Donald Trump's indictment.


It would be the first time he has spoken publicly on the matter.


Mr Bragg has become a target of Mr Trump and his allies in recent weeks as it appeared that the former president would face criminal charges.


Mr Bragg has warned Republicans in Congress loyal to Mr Trump not to interfere with the investigation.


Apr 04, 2023, 10:46 PM


Trump seated at defence table inside courtroom

Former US president Donald Trump sits at the defence table with his team in a New York courtroom. AP
More photographs of Donald Trump appearing for his arraignment are trickling in. 

Inside the courtroom, he will face Judge Juan Merchan, who is expected to read the charges to the former president.


Apr 04, 2023, 10:33 PM

Trump enters New York courtroom to be arraigned

Donald Trump walks inside the courtroom for his arraignment. AP
Donald Trump headed inside the courtroom for his arraignment after being processed at Manhattan Criminal Court.

The former president walked alongside two of his lawyers - Joe Tacopina and Boris Epshteyn. He did not speak or answer shouted questions. 


Mr Trump was indicted by a grand jury after an investigation into alleged hush money paid to adult film actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential election campaign.


He has denied any wrongdoing.


Apr 04, 2023, 10:17 PM

Former White House aide shares motorcade trip

Dan Scavino, a former top aide in Donald Trump's administration, shared a video of Mr Trump's motorcade as it made its way to the Manhattan Criminal Court.


Apr 04, 2023, 10:06 PM

White House 'not commenting on Trump arraignment'

Ellie Sennett reports from Washington:


Faced with repeated questions about silence from the White House on Donald Trump's indictment, press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre defended the decision not to respond to the historic moment.


"I think the American people should feel reassured that when there is an ongoing case, like this one, that we're just not commenting," she told reporters on Tuesday.


"I know there's a broader question of what this means, the precedent, and what the President is going to decide or make decisions that he might make, like hypothetical questions.


"I'm just not going to comment from here on that. "


Apr 04, 2023, 09:59 PM

Here's what to expect now that Trump arrived at court

Now that Donald Trump arrived at Manhattan Criminal Court, he is expected to undergo a similar process to that which other criminal defendants face.


He will be booked by prosecutors, which includes being fingerprinted. What is unclear at this stage is if a mug shot will be taken. He is not expected to be handcuffed.


Mr Trump will then appear before Judge Juan Merchan, where he will formally face his charges. It is around this time that the indictment is expected to be made public. 


He will probably be free to go without posting bail and then return to Florida.


Mr Trump is expected to address a crowd of supporters at Mar-a-Lago on Tuesday night.


Read more on what Mr Trump's arraignment is expected to look like here


Apr 04, 2023, 09:51 PM

Trump says arrest 'seems so surreal'

Donald Trump posts on Truth Social ahead of his arrest. Screengrab / Truth Social
Patrick deHahn reports from New York City:

Donald Trump posted a brief message on his Truth Social platform while en route to the court for his arraignment, sharing how he was feeling about the moment.


"Heading to Lower Manhattan, the Courthouse. Seems so SURREAL — WOW, they are going to ARREST ME," he wrote.


He was escorted by New York police and Secret Service in a motorcade from Trump Tower to the Manhattan District Court, where he surrendered to authorities.


"Can’t believe this is happening in America. MAGA!"


Apr 04, 2023, 09:40 PM

Trump surrenders to authorities for arraignment

Patrick deHahn reports from New York City:


Donald Trump on Tuesday afternoon surrendered to authorities at the Manhattan District Court ahead of his historic arraignment, where he will become the first president to face criminal charges.


He is technically under arrest and in police custody in the court for the arraignment.


Mr Trump will undergo the traditional booking process, including being fingerprinted and a possible mug shot, before being read his indictment when it is unsealed.


Apr 04, 2023, 09:26 PM

Trump arrives at Manhattan Criminal Court

Donald Trump arrives at Manhattan Criminal Court in New York City. Reuters
Donald Trump arrived at the court in lower Manhattan after a short drive from Trump Tower. He waved to the crowd lining the street after he left his motorcade.