Donald Trump’s ‘very sad day for America’ went about as expected
- Donald Trump pleads not guilty to a variety of charges over attempts to subvert the 2020 US elections
- Former president trashes Washington in post hearing remarks, says ‘this is a very sad day for America’
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US former president Donald Trump pleads not guilty to 2020 election charges
Media coverage was intense as it’s the first time a former president has been charged with crimes allegedly committed while he was in office. Cable news outlets were broadcasting live as Trump Force One touched down at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, just over an hour before the start of the 4pm arraignment.
A motorcade of black SUVs then relayed him to Washington’s federal court, across the street from the Capitol building where the January 6, 2021, attack by thousands of Trump’s supporters had unfolded. Smatterings of flag-waving Trump supporters appeared to be vastly outnumbered by law enforcement.
The former president was processed much like any other criminal defendant with the US Marshals Service taking his fingerprints and personal information. He didn’t have a mug shot taken however.
As Trump entered the building, his legal spokeswoman Alina Habba stepped in front of television cameras to say it was “not a coincidence” that Trump was facing his third criminal indictment in five months. She claimed the cases are the work of President Joe Biden’s “lawfare” against his biggest rival.