Donald Trump became the first former US president to be arrested on criminal charges in the the history of the country. Trump was taken into custody on Tuesday after he surrendered in connection with the USD 1,30,000 hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels and others before the US presidential election in 2016 to cover up an alleged affair.

His arraignment is happening at a court in Manhaattan in new York under heavy security and media presence. Huge crowds had gathered outside the court. Trump’s arraignment is a public proceeding, but news cameras are not allowed to broadcast from inside the courtroom, CNN reported.

Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records and conspiracy for his alleged role in hush money payments. After about an hour, he left the court without speaking to the media.

The charges against Trump include a series of payments he made from August 2015 to December 2017 and recorded as false business entries. One of these are when American Media Inc paid $30,000 to a former Trump Tower doorman, who claimed to have a story about a child Trump had out of wedlock;

AMI again paid $150,000 to a woman who alleged she had a sexual relationship with Trump.

And just 12 days before the presidential general election, Trump's special counsel wired $130,000 to an attorney for an adult film actress. The amount was reimbured by Trump through the Donald J Trump Revocable Trust and from Trump's bank account.

The court has set the next date of hearing in the case for December 4.

Just before his arrest, Trump took to social media platform Truth Social to express his disbelief.

“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!” he said.

Trump is likely to use the case to prop himself up again as Republican candidate for US presidentship in the 2024 elections.

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Donald Trump in New York for historic court appearance: Here’s a timeline of scandal that led to his conviction

First Published:Apr 4, 2023 11:50 PM IST