Trump hits back at 'ridiculous indictment' in Mar-a-Lago speech after pleading not guilty

Read the latest news on Donald Trump's arraignment

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

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 Tuesday's 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.

Daniels said she had an affair with Mr Trump in 2006 but he paid her off, via his lawyer Michael Cohen, so the story wouldn't come out ahead of the election. Mr Trump has denied the affair and any wrongdoing.

In his speech, a tired looking Mr Trump went through the laundry list of grievances that has become standard fare in many of his addresses, including the number of immigrants coming into America, the “radical left” and the “embarrassing” withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan.

He also spoke about several of the additional criminal and civil investigations he is the subject of, including a Georgia probe into a call he made to the secretary of state following his 2020 election loss to Democrat Joe Biden.

In the call, Mr Trump said the official should “find” thousands of extra votes.

“This fake case was brought only to interfere with the coming 2024 election and it should be dropped immediately,” Mr Trump said.

Mr Trump had flown back to his Mar-a-Lago estate immediately after his arraignment in Manhattan, leaving the city of his birth to return to his adopted home in Florida's Palm Beach.

Thousands of Trump supporters and anti-Trump protesters had thronged the public spaces around the Manhattan courthouse and Trump Tower.

Manhattan is a predominantly liberal New York borough and plenty of detractors turned out to gloat over and celebrate the former president's legal troubles.

In Palm Beach, however, most demonstrators were diehard Trump fans, many of whom lined the streets to welcome him home and catch a glimpse of his passing motorcade.

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years

If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.

2. E-invoicing in the UAE

Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.

3. More tax audits

Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.

4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime

Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.

5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit

There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.

6. Further transfer pricing enforcement

Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.

7. Limited time periods for audits

Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.

8. Pillar 2 implementation

Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.

9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services

Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.

10. Substance and CbC reporting focus

Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.

Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer

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Trump hits back at 'ridiculous indictment' in Mar-a-Lago speech after pleading not guilty

'I never thought anything like this could happen in America', former president says

Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026

Tell-tale signs of burnout

The specs