Donald Trump is Officially Under Arrest

The former president turned himself into authorities in Manhattan on Tuesday after a grand jury indicted him on 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree. The charges stem from allegations that he arranged a hush-money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels prior to the 2016 presidential election. Trump has pleaded not guilty to the allegations.

Trump flew from Mar-a-Lago to New York City before his arrest and waved to supporters as he exited the motorcade to enter the courthouse. The arrest took place in the midst of a chaotic scene outside the courthouse, with both Trump supporters and opponents demonstrating earlier in the day. The frenzy had subsided by the time Trump surrendered himself in the afternoon, despite the fact that hundreds of media, law enforcement, and onlookers remained in the area.

Trump appeared exhausted during his arraignment and was dressed in a navy suit with a red tie. Todd Blanche, Joe Tacopina, and Susan Necheles, members of his legal team, accompanied him. Blanche contended that Trump “believes there is a great injustice,” while prosecutor Christopher Conroy expressed reservations about the extensive public security measures necessitated by Trump’s remarks and posts. Judge Juan Merchan, whom Trump had previously chastised on social media prior to his arrest, warned both sides to avoid making statements that could incite violence or civil unrest.

Prabhnoor Kaur