Private citizen Donald Trump appeared in Manhattan Criminal Court Monday afternoon, accompanied only by his Secret Service detail and his attorneys, and was arrested, fingerprinted, and arraigned before New York Judge Juan Manuel Merchan on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records related to his hush money payoff of a porn star in an attempt to protect his 2016 presidential campaign.
He pleaded “not guilty,” according to multiple sources including CNN.
No mug shot was taken, nor was he handcuffed.
“They said that Mr. Trump tried to conceal a conspiracy and undermine the 2016 election,” an NBC producer said on-air, “to identify and suppress negative information.”
As he walked slowly toward the courtroom at about 2:30 PM, Trump looked grim. There was no attempt to smile, no iconic thumbs up. He was a picture of anger.
“Trump did not answer any questions or speak before entering the room,” CNN’s Kaitlan Collins reports.
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Trump’s facial expression did not change inside the courtroom.
CNN’s Jake Tapper remarked on the photo, “That is a pissed-off Donald Trump.”
George Conway, speaking on CNN, reportedly said of the ex-president: “This is a man who is not in control of this situation, and his personality is the kind that tries to control everything and everyone around him. He’s a criminal defendant. The process will take its toll on him.”
This is a breaking news and developing story.
This article has been updated to correctly identify the courthouse Trump was arraigned in: Manhattan Criminal Court.