Former President Donald Trump has appeared in a New York City court on Tuesday for the reading of criminal charges that were filed against him.
The case stems from secret cash payments the former president made to adult film star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign, just days after the scandalous “Access Hollywood” video was released in which Trump brags about sexually assaulting women. While the contents of the indictment could not be accessed, Newsweek reports that the former president will face 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. Trump is the first former U.S. president to be indicted. His arraignment hearing was scheduled for 2:15 p.m. local time, and Trump supporters, including far-right Georgia state Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene, are expected to rally for the former president in front of the courthouse. On the eve of the protests, New York City Mayor Eric Adams issued a warning to people he called “troublemakers.”
Mayor Eric Adams: “Get a grip. New York City is our home, not a playground where you can come to express your misplaced anger. We are the safest of America’s great cities, and that’s because in New York City we respect the rule of law. And while we may not have received specific threats, people like Marjorie Taylor Greene, who is known for spreading disinformation and hate speech, has stated that she will be coming to the city.”
Following his court appearance, Trump is expected to fly back to his Mar-A-Lago estate located in the state of Florida, where he will speak publicly on Tuesday night.
Click here for more on Trump in our interview with Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist David Cay Johnston.