Former US president Donald Trump on Thursday pleaded not guilty to criminal charges that he conspired to overturn the results of the 2020 presidential election and defraud the US.
Trump, the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination for next year’s election, entered his plea during a nearly 30-minute hearing at the same Washington courthouse where hundreds of his supporters have been convicted for their roles in the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the US Capitol.
“Not guilty,” Trump said after magistrate judge Moxila Upadhyaya read the four criminal counts and the potential maximum prison sentences in the 45-page indictment brought by special counsel Jack Smith.
Photo: AP
Speaking to reporters at Reagan National airport before leaving Washington on a private plane, Trump said that the cases brought against him were “persecution of a political opponent.”
“This is a very sad day for America,” he said. “This is the persecution of the person that’s leading by very, very substantial numbers in the Republican primary and leading [US President Joe] Biden by a lot.”
“So if you can’t beat him, you persecute him or you prosecute him,” he said. “We can’t let this happen in America.”
Later on Thursday, Trump quipped on his Truth Social account that considering he had to journey “to a filthy, dirty, falling apart & very unsafe Washington” for his arraignment, “it was a very good day!”
The judge set the next hearing in the case for Aug. 28 before US District Court Judge Tanya Chutkan, who is to preside over the eventual trial.
“I can guarantee to everybody there will be a fair process and a fair trial,” Upadhyaya said.
Security was tight around the E. Barrett Prettyman federal courthouse where the hearing was held, with metal barricades blocking access and police patrolling the perimeter.
Small groups of demonstrators holding placards milled about outside along with tourists.
“Jail Trump Forever,” read one sign.
“Trump 24,” read another.
“We wanted to see it,” said Dave Werner, 52, of Houston, Texas, who was visiting the capital with his son Liam, 12. “It’s a little bit being part of history.”
Biden, for his part, was asked during a bike ride while vacationing in Delaware if he would follow the arraignment.
His response was a curt “No.”
Smith has charged Trump with conspiracy to defraud the US, conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding and attempting to disenfranchise voters with claims that he won the election.
“The purpose of the conspiracy was to overturn the legitimate results of the 2020 presidential election by using knowingly false claims of election fraud,” the indictment said.
Smith linked Trump’s actions following his loss directly to the attack on the Capitol, which he called an “unprecedented assault on the seat of American democracy.”
“It was fueled by lies,” Smith said.
Smith’s lawyers did not seek to have Trump detained.
The judge warned Trump against committing any crimes and not to communicate about the case with any witnesses except through his attorneys.
Any violations could result in Trump being jailed pending trial, she said.
Trump said “yes” when asked if he was prepared to comply with the conditions.
Additional reporting by Bloomberg
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