Former President Trump speaks from Mar-a-Lago after pleading not guilty to 34 criminal charges in New York saying the only crime he has committed is to "fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it". Video / AP
A defiant Donald Trump has declared “We have to save our country” as he addressed a packed room of supporters in Florida, hours after his historic court appearance in New York.
Speaking at his Mar-a-Lago home early this afternoon (NZ time), the former United States president said he “never thought anything like this could happen in America”.
“The only crime I’ve committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it,” he said.
“From the beginning, the Democrats spied on my campaign – remember that? They attacked me with an onslaught of fraudulent investigations – Russia, Russia, Russia, Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine, impeachment hoax number one, impeachment hoax number two, the illegal and unconstitutional raid on Mar-a-Lago, right here.”
Trump repeated claims that “millions of votes” were “illegally stuffed into ballot boxes” at the 2020 election, saying “our elections were like those of a third-world country”.
“And now this massive election interference at a scale never seen before in our country, beginning with the radical left prosecutor, Alvin Bragg of New York, who campaigned on the fact that he would get President Trump,” he said.
“‘I’m gonna get him. I’m gonna get him’. This is a guy campaigning,” he said of Bragg. “‘We want to get President Trump at any cost’. And this before he knew anything about me. He didn’t know a thing about me.
“This fake case was brought only to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election and it should be dropped immediately. Immediately.”
Foreshadowing his other looming legal woes, Trump took aim at Atlanta District Attorney Fani Willis, calling her “racist” and saying she was “doing everything in her power to indict me over an absolutely perfect phone call, even more perfect than the one I made with the president of Ukraine”.
He also slammed New York Attorney-General Letitia James, who is pursuing him on civil charges, as “another racist” who “also campaigned on ‘I will get Trump’.”
He then called special prosecutor Jack Smith a “lunatic”. Smith is overseeing the Justice Department investigation into Trump’s handling of classified documents and the aftermath of the 2020 election.
“We are a failing nation,” Trump said.
Former US President Donald Trump speaks at his Mar-a-Lago estate hours after being arraigned in New York City. Photo / AP
“We are a nation in decline, and now these radical left lunatics want to interfere in our elections using law enforcement. We can’t let that happen. With all of this being said, and with a very dark cloud over our beloved country, I have no doubt nevertheless that we will make America great again. Thank you very much, God bless you and God bless America.”
The rambling speech, in which Trump went off on several of his typical campaign rally tangents, lasted about half an hour.
Earlier, Trump’s family and supporters took aim at the daughter of the judge in his New York arraignment.
Eric Trump, Donald Trump Jr and right-wing Republican Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene all shared photos on social media of Loren Merchan – daughter of Judge Juan Merchan – after reports that she had worked on US President Joe Biden’s 2020 campaign.
“Seems relevant … yet another connection in this hand-picked Democrat show trial. The BS never ends folks,” Trump Jr wrote on Twitter, sharing a link to a story on right-wing website Breitbart.
The article says Loren Merchan is the “president and partner of Authentic Campaigns, a company that runs digital campaigns for Democrat candidates, according to Merchan’s archived LinkedIn account”.
Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records to hide affairs with a former porn actress and a Playboy model, and to suppress a story about an alleged secret love child.
DONALD TRUMP: “The only crime that I've committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it.”
He attended a Manhattan court this morning (NZ time) to be booked and arraigned, having been indicted by a grand jury in New York last week.
“Heading to Lower Manhattan, the courthouse. Seems so SURREAL – WOW, they are going to ARREST ME. Can’t believe this is happening in America,” he posted on social media en route to the courthouse.
Trump is currently a candidate to regain the presidency in 2024.
In the indictment, unsealed by a judge, prosecutors accuse Trump of “repeatedly and fraudulently” falsifying records to “conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public” before the 2016 presidential election.
Donald Trump leaves Trump Tower in New York for the criminal court in Manhattan. Photo / AP
“From August 2015 to December 2017, the defendant orchestrated a scheme with others to influence the 2016 presidential election by identifying and purchasing negative information about him to suppress its publication and benefit the defendant’s electoral prospects,” the indictment reads.
“In order to execute the unlawful scheme, the participants violated election laws and made and caused false entries in the business records of various entities in New York.”
The next in-person hearing in the case is reportedly scheduled for December, with a trial set to start in January next year at the earliest. The 2024 presidential election will be in November.
Speaking after Trump’s arraignment, one of his lawyers, Todd Blanche, accused Bragg, a Democrat, of turning a “political issue” into a “political prosecution”. He said the former president was “upset” and “frustrated”.
“It’s not a good day,” Blanche said.
“I don’t expect this to happen in this country. You don’t expect this to happen to somebody who was the president of the United States.”
Blanche promised Trump’s legal team would “fight hard” against the charges.
All 34 counts allege Trump falsified business records. They concern alleged hush money payments, mostly to porn actress Stormy Daniels, with whom Trump allegedly had an extramarital affair.
Trump says he never did anything illegal and insists no affair took place.
People gather at a protest held in Collect Pond Park across the street from the Manhattan district attorney's office. Photo / AP
The indictment alleges Michael Cohen, then Trump’s personal lawyer, made payments totalling US$130,000 (NZ$204,000) to Daniels through a shell company. Prosecutors claim Trump, having won the election, then reimbursed Cohen through a series of monthly cheques, disguising the money as “payment for legal services rendered”.
They allege these payments were “false New York business records” because there was “no retainer agreement” with Cohen and he was “not being paid for legal services”.
Daniels is not the only woman involved. The indictment mentions Karen McDougal, a former Playboy model, who also claims she had an affair with Trump. It is alleged that the National Enquirer, a media company friendly towards Trump, paid McDougal on his behalf “in exchange for her agreement not to speak out”.
In addition, the Enquirer’sparent company allegedly paid US$30,000 to a doorman who was “trying to sell information that the defendant had allegedly fathered a child out of wedlock”.
“Under New York State law, it is a felony to falsify business records with intent to defraud and intent to conceal another crime. That is exactly what this case is about,” Bragg told reporters after the arraignment.
“Thirty-four false statements made to cover up other crimes. These are felony crimes in New York. No matter who you are, we cannot and will not normalise serious criminal conduct.”
Trump flashed a defiant fist pump as he left Trump Towers to go to court. A short time later he arrived at Bragg’s office.
The former president was not handcuffed, but he was booked and authorities recorded his fingerprints.
He is the first former US president to face criminal charges and, as such, unique security arrangements were made for his appearance. Most other activity in the Manhattan court, including all trials, was suspended to accommodate his presence.
There were scenes of chaos near the courthouse earlier, with a shouting match between Trump’s supporters and opponents turning physical.
Police tried to separate the two parties with a barrier, but it failed to stop minor skirmishes.
Demonstrators gather outside the New York City Criminal Court. Photo / AP
“Trump is not your friend,” said one man to a protester in a Make America Great Again hat. “F... you,” the Trump supporter said in return.
Marjorie Taylor Greene made a short appearance, but her speech was largely drowned out by protesters.
“President Trump is joining some of the most incredible people in history, being arrested today,” she subsequently said in a TV interview.
“Nelson Mandela was arrested, served time in prison. Jesus! Jesus was arrested, and murdered by the Roman government. There have been many people throughout history who have been arrested and persecuted by radical, corrupt governments.
“It’s beginning today in New York City. And I can’t believe it’s happening, but I’ll always support him, he’s done nothing wrong.”
Democratic Congressman Jamaal Bowman was also in the crowd and criticised Greene for showing up.
“She should not be here,” he told Semafor. “She should not be pushing rhetoric that is harmful and dangerous.”
When word got around that Trump was on his way, things got more fractious. Some in the pro and anti camps intermingled as helicopters buzzed overhead, and were yelling at one another, usually ending with a few expletives.
Trump’s legal team argued against allowing live TV and radio coverage of his arraignment, saying it would “exacerbate” the “circus-like atmosphere” around the case.
Judge Merchan decided to allow five photographers into the courtroom before the arraignment. Television cameras were limited to the hallways.
The courthouse was secured by the Secret Service, which is still responsible for Trump’s protection, and the New York Police Department.
Trump posted on his social media platform, Truth Social, arguing for a change in venue.
“VERY UNFAIR VENUE, WITH SOME AREAS THAT VOTED 1 PER CENT REPUBLICAN. THIS CASE SHOULD BE MOVED TO NEARBY STATEN ISLAND – WOULD BE A VERY FAIR AND SECURE LOCATION FOR THE TRIAL,” Trump wrote in capitals.
“ADDITIONALLY, THE HIGHLY PARTISAN JUDGE AND HIS FAMILY ARE WELL KNOWN TRUMP HATERS.”
In recent weeks, Trump has repeatedly attacked Bragg and accused him of political bias. He’s also lashed out at Judge Merchan.
Bragg responded in a letter to members of Congress. “Like any other defendant, Mr Trump is entitled to challenge these charges in court and avail himself of all processes and protections that New York’s robust criminal procedure affords,” he wrote.
“What neither Mr Trump nor Congress may do is interfere with the ordinary course of proceedings in New York state.”
Writing to staff in his own office, Bragg said prosecutors would not be intimidated.
The New York indictment is one of several legal headaches for Trump, who is also being investigated by the Justice Department over his role in the January 6, 2021, riot at the Capitol Building in Washington DC, and over his handling of classified government documents after leaving office.
In addition, he is being investigated by the district attorney’s office in Fulton County, Georgia, over his actions in the wake of the 2020 election. Trump pressured election officials to declare him the state’s winner, despite his defeat to Biden there.
