Key takeaways:
- Donald Trump was arraigned on Tuesday in a Manhattan courtroom on 34 felony charges of falsifying business records.
- Trump pleaded not guilty to the charges and his lawyer said the charges were “what we expected”.
- Trump is the first president in American history to be charged with a criminal offense.
Donald Trump was arraigned on Tuesday in a Manhattan courtroom on 34 felony charges of falsifying business records. The charges stem from hush money payments made in the lead up to the 2016 election.
Trump, who was flanked by more than two dozen court officers and Secret Service agents, pleaded not guilty to the charges. His lawyer, Todd Blanche, told reporters that the charges were “what we expected”.
The Manhattan District Attorney’s office filed the charges, which are class E felonies in New York. Trump was the first president in American history to be charged with a criminal offense.
The arraignment was a solemn affair, with Trump staring straight ahead with pursed lips. He was like any of the countless thousands of defendants who have sat in the eight-decade-old Manhattan Criminal Court building.
The court filings from the Manhattan district attorney’s office included some surprises. It is unclear what the outcome of the case will be, but it is certain that Trump will be remembered as the first president to face criminal charges.
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