Trump Arraignment: What We Know Ahead of Former President’s First Court Appearance

Former President Donald Trump is expected to attend his April 4 arraignment before the Supreme Court of New York, making him the first former U.S. president to face criminal prosecution. He faces falsification of business records charges related to an alleged hush money payment made in 2016 by his former attorney, Michael Cohen, to adult film actress Stephanie Clifford, whose stage name is Stormy Daniels. Prosecutors will argue that the payment should have been reported as a contribution to Trump’s presidential campaign. The indictment is sealed, but legal experts consider this novel and high-risk.

Arraignment Process

On the eve of his arraignment hearing, Trump will stay at his Trump Tower in New York before surrendering to the district attorney’s office in lower Manhattan. Unnamed sources suggest that he will arrive there around 1 PM ahead of his 2:15 PM arraignment hearing. Security around the courthouse will be heightened due to the presence of a former president. The proceedings will be open to the public and the press, but not live-streamed. Trump will not be handcuffed, but will be fingerprinted and have to take a mugshot before being taken to courtroom to enter a plea.

What Comes Next?

After the hearing, Trump will return to his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida, where he is planning to address the nation. However, the presiding judge, acting Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan, may impose a gag order on the former president. This would limit what Trump can say. Trump’s defense team will likely argue that their client cannot receive a fair trial in Manhattan and try to have the case moved elsewhere. Meanwhile, pre-trial motions may delay the start of the trial for years.

Demonstrations

As the former president made his