An unprecedented event in the history of the United States is set to unfold on Tuesday at a Manhattan courthouse, as former President Donald Trump faces criminal charges related to hush money payments made in 2016. This marks the first time a former president will face criminal charges, after having been impeached twice by the U.S. House but never convicted in the U.S. Senate. Trump is expected to plead not guilty to the charges and will be escorted from Trump Tower to the courthouse by the Secret Service.
While the booking and arraignment are likely to be brief, they are far from routine. Trump will be fingerprinted and informed of the charges against him. Judge Juan Merchan has ruled that cameras will not be allowed in the courtroom. The former president’s lawyer, Joe Tacopina, has stated that Trump will not plead guilty to lesser charges, even if it might resolve the case. Tacopina also acknowledged the uniqueness of the situation, saying that “there’s a lot of mystery here because we’re doing something that’s never been done before.”
Trump has been actively promoting the idea that the New York grand jury indictment and three additional pending investigations are politically motivated, designed to undermine his potential bid for the White House in 2024. He has been appealing to his supporters to protest the charges and has claimed, without evidence, that the judge presiding over the case “hates me.” However, his lawyer has contradicted this claim.
New York police are anticipating protests by Trump supporters outside the courthouse. The former president has been using this situation to his advantage, claiming to have raised $8 million in less than a week, based on the idea of a “witch hunt.” He is scheduled to hold a rally at his home in Florida, Mar-a-Lago, on Tuesday evening, where he will project an aura of defiance and victimhood while surrounded by more than 500 invited supporters, including some of the most pro-Trump congressional Republicans.
In conclusion, the upcoming events represent an extraordinary moment in the history of the United States. While Trump’s booking and arraignment are expected to be relatively brief, the situation is far from routine, as the former president faces criminal charges related to hush money payments made in 2016. Trump’s claims that the charges are politically motivated have been met with protests by his supporters, while law enforcement officials are bracing for further demonstrations. Regardless of the outcome, the events of Tuesday are sure to reverberate throughout the political landscape of the United States for some time to come.
