Trump Appears in Court, Denies All 34 Charges... Speech Scheduled Today (Comprehensive)

Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who was indicted on allegations of a so-called ‘hush money’ related to sexual relations, appeared at the Manhattan Criminal Court in New York on the afternoon of the 4th (local time) and denied all charges. The indictment released by the prosecution included 34 felony counts such as falsification of business records. Trump, who pleaded not guilty, is scheduled to deliver a speech at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida that evening. Experts are analyzing that this indictment is only the beginning of the ‘judicial risks’ surrounding former President Trump.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

34 Charges Including Concealment and Forgery of Business Records

At the arraignment held at the Manhattan Criminal Court in New York, former President Trump denied all 34 felony charges brought against him and pleaded not guilty. This is the first criminal indictment of a former or sitting U.S. president in history. Previously, the Manhattan grand jury indicted Trump on the 30th of last month for allegedly making hush money payments to adult film actress Stormy Daniels and falsifying accounting documents.

According to the indictment released that day, the prosecution applied a total of 34 charges against former President Trump. These charges all related to corporate document manipulation, including concealment and forgery of business records and monetary bribery.

In addition to the previously known Daniels case, former President Trump is also accused of paying hush money to Karen McDougal, a Playboy magazine model, through the tabloid newspaper National Enquirer, which purchased exclusive rights for $150,000 to prevent publication. There is also an allegation that Trump paid $30,000 to a Trump Tower doorman who claimed to have fathered an illegitimate child with Trump. During this process, many expenses were disguised as ‘legal fees,’ and the involvement of Michael Cohen, Trump’s personal lawyer at the time, was confirmed. The prosecution stated that Cohen and others involved in the hush money payments admitted that these actions were illegal.

Alvin Bragg, Manhattan District Attorney, explained at a press conference held immediately after the arraignment, “Under New York state law, falsifying business records to conceal or mislead about other crimes is a felony. This indictment is about that.” He emphasized, “Everyone is equal under the law. No matter how much money or power you have, you cannot change the enduring principles of the United States.”

On the other hand, former President Trump’s legal team completely denied the charges. Todd Blanche, one of Trump’s attorneys, said after the arraignment, “Former President Trump is frustrated and angry about this political prosecution. He will fight to the end.” Trump did not make any separate statements or answer reporters’ questions before or after his court appearance. Before arriving at the court, he posted on his social media platform Social Truth, “Heading to the court in Lower Manhattan. This is so surreal. They will arrest me. I can’t believe this is happening in America. MAGA!”

After finishing his court appearance, former President Trump headed straight to New York LaGuardia Airport and is scheduled to deliver a nationwide speech at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida starting at 8:15 p.m. At this event, he is expected to deny the charges against him, label the indictment as “political persecution” and a “witch hunt,” and call on his supporters to rally.

Regarding this, Judge Juan Merchan, who presided over the arraignment, warned Trump during the hearing to be cautious not to incite the public through social media. He also announced that a trial would be held on December 4th to hear arguments from both the prosecution and Trump’s defense team.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Analysis of the Beginning of Judicial Risks... "Additional Indictments Imminent"

The unprecedented indictment of a former president is inevitably a topic that will shake the political landscape ahead of the 2024 presidential election. In particular, there is speculation that this indictment is only the signal flare of judicial risks surrounding former President Trump. There are already many civil and criminal cases related to Trump, and other ongoing investigations are considered more damaging to his presidential campaign than the current hush money scandal.

Especially, the allegation that Trump pressured the Georgia Secretary of State to overturn the election results during the 2020 presidential election is a charge that could lead to actual imprisonment. Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis in Atlanta, Georgia, formed a special grand jury under court order starting in May last year, which produced a confidential investigative report in January this year before disbanding. It is expected that a decision on whether to indict could be made as early as December 1st.

The allegation that Trump orchestrated and incited the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol is also a major judicial risk that could hinder his presidential campaign. Earlier, the U.S. House Select Committee investigating the Capitol riot found evidence that Trump attempted to overturn the 2020 election results around the time of the riot and submitted a report recommending prosecution to the Department of Justice. Additionally, a special counsel appointed by the DOJ is investigating over 100 classified documents seized from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida.

Meanwhile, unlike typical felony defendants, former President Trump was not handcuffed on this occasion, likely as a courtesy to a former president. The mugshot, a facial photo used for criminal identification, was reportedly omitted through coordination with New York authorities. Given that this is the first case of a former president being indicted, many broadcasters including ABC aired live coverage of Trump’s court appearance. Near the court park, journalists and broadcast vans from various countries gathered, along with supporters and anti-Trump protesters who held demonstrations.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.