Today, former US President Trump will make a historic court appearance in New York City to be arraigned on criminal offenses.
A New York grand jury indicted Trump for allegedly paying adult film actress Stormy Daniels hush money during his 2016 presidential campaign to conceal her claims of a relationship, which Trump denies.
Protesters, both for and anti-Trump, have assembled outside the Manhattan courthouse where the former US president will arrive for his arraignment hearing.
As per Al Jazeera, several of Trump's supporters have echoed the former president's attacks on the New York case, calling it politically motivated.
Those familiar with Donald Trump's mindset anticipate him to file a not-guilty plea personally during the arraignment as a show of defiance. Another insider said he is considering making a statement to the media before his arraignment.
The 76-year-old Donald Trump will be taken into custody and fingerprinted at the Manhattan Criminal Courts Complex in the afternoon.
The former president will not be detained or subjected to a mug photo because of the exceptional circumstances surrounding his arrest and upcoming court appearance, according to The New York Times.
Donald Trump's Arraignment 'Will Backfire' On Democrats Per US Senator
The day's proceedings will be meticulously planned by the Secret Service, the New York City Police Department, judicial security, and the Manhattan district attorney's office, which has been probing Donald Trump for over five years amid worries of demonstrations and attacks fueled by the Republican leader.
Meanwhile, Mississippi Republican Senator Cindy Hyde-Smith declared her support for Donald Trump in the upcoming 2024 Republican presidential primary, according to The Hill.
The senator issued a statement dismissing the charges against Trump as a "political stunt by a prosecutor that has nothing to do with justice." She also said that the issue would "backfire" on Democrats.
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