Sullen Donald Trump pleads not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records in pornstar hush-money payments
DONALD Trump has pleaded not guilty to dozens of fraud charges connected to his alleged hush-money payments to Stormy Daniels.
The former U.S. president looked downcast as he appeared in the New York City courtroom, surrounded by his legal team and Secret Service Agents, on Tuesday.
He became the first U.S. president ever to be criminally charged.
Trump voluntarily surrendered to authorities following an unprecedented indictment stemming from his hush-money payments.
The first image of Trump inside the courtroom was released before the start of his arraignment.
Trump was seated somberly between his attorneys Todd Blanche, Susan Necheles, and Joe Tacopina.
The charges against Trump stem from a $130,000 hush-money payment that his former fixer, Michael D. Cohen, made to porn star Stormy Daniels in the final days of the 2016 campaign to silence claims of an affair.
The case also reportedly includes claims of separate payments to a second woman, former Playboy model Karen McDougal.
Trump allegedly played a role in paying $150,000 to McDougal, who claims that she began a 10-month relationship with the former president in 2006, according to the .
The former U.S. president also allegedly paid a former Trump Tower doorman $30,000 to silence his claims that Trump had a "child out of wedlock."
A class E felony in New York State is the lowest felony charge available and is usually associated with serious crimes that did not warrant a higher felony charge.
"It's not just about one payment. It is 34 business records," Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a press conference following Trump's arraignment.
"Uh, 34 false statements and business records. They were concealing criminal conduct."
The Manhattan DA added: "No matter who you are… We cannot and will not normalize serious criminal conduct."
'THEY ARE GOING TO ARREST ME'
Ahead of his arrangement, an appalled Trump posted on Truth Social about how he was on his way to Lower Manhattan to be arrested.
"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!" the former president wrote.
His motorcade arrived at the office of Manhattan DA Bragg, part of the towering Manhattan Criminal Courts facility, just before 1.30pm.
Before arriving at the downtown courthouse, Trump raised his fist to supporters outside Trump Tower, moments before being whisked away via motorcade.
The former U.S. president was released on his own recognizance and boarded his private jet back to , where he is expected to address the public tonight from his Mar-a-Lago resort.
Judge Juan Merchan did not put a gag order on Trump but warned him not to post anything on that could cause unrest.
"Refrain from engaging in conduct which has the potential to incite violence or create civil unrest," Judge Merchan told Trump.
"Don't engage in words or conduct which could jeopardize the rule of law as it applies to these proceedings in this courtroom."
Following the historic arraignment, Trump's attorney Tacopina addressed the media outside the courthouse: "This was not a good day.
"There's nothing the indictment itself. It is boilerplate. It doesn't allege any federal crime and the state crime that's been violated.
"It doesn't allege what the false statement is, and it's really disappointing. It's sad, and we're going to fight it. We're going to fight it hard."
Tacopina said that Trump was "upset" but is still motivated, and the moment will not "stop him" or "slow him down."
His next court hearing is set for December 4.
STORMY DANIELS PAYMENTS
Trump's former fixer Cohen made the payments to 44-year-old Daniels, born Stephanie Clifford, who claimed to have had an affair with the former president in 2006.
Cohen confessed to paying Daniels $130,000 right before the 2016 presidential election to stay quiet about the alleged affair with Trump.
Daniels claimed that Cohen used "intimidation and coercive tactics" to get her to sign on to the statement denying her affair with Trump.
District Attorney Bragg said on Tuesday that Trump was allegedly part of a "catch and kill scheme," which he explained as a "scheme" to "buy and suppress" negative information to help him win the election.
Cohen eventually pleaded guilty to campaign finance charges stemming from his involvement with the payments.
He told a federal court in Manhattan that Trump directed him to make the payments.
The ex-Trump aide was sentenced to three years in prison.
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The former commander-in-chief has vehemently denied any wrongdoing throughout the probe.