Former President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree Tuesday afternoon during his historic arraignment.
Trump was arrested around 1:35 p.m. and appeared before the judge, who charged him with 34 counts of falsifying business records, at 2:45 p.m.
Trump pleaded not guilty to indictment No. 71543-23.
Per the judge’s orders, the media was not allowed to live stream the court proceedings. Photographers, however, were allowed to enter the courtroom to take photos before the proceedings began. The photographers captured images for a few minutes before they were seen leaving the courtroom.
CBS News’s Scott MacFarlane described the courtroom “as stuffy, warm, and feeling like an old middle school, not like ornate federal courtrooms.”
The former president entered police custody around 1:30 p.m. in the Manhattan courthouse where he surrendered to authorities before the arraignment.
Before ducking into a vehicle on his way to the courthouse, he turned, waved, and gave his supporters a fist bump.
Upon arriving at the courthouse, Trump posted on Truth Social, “Seems so SURREAL — WOW, they are going to ARREST ME. Can’t believe this is happening in America. MAGA!”
WATCH: Trump Waves to Media, Departs Trump Tower to Turn Himself into Manhattan Court
Lausky Liu via Storyful
Follow Wendell Husebø on Twitter @WendellHusebø. He is the author of Politics of Slave Morality.
