Former US President Donald Trump is set to face a court hearing in New York City on Tuesday, where he will be answering charges related to hush money payments made to a porn star. His lawyer, Joe Tacopina, has promised to vigorously fight any charges against Trump, who has denied any wrongdoing.
Media reports suggest that Trump will face more than 30 charges related to business fraud over a $130,000 (£105,000) pay-out to Stormy Daniels in 2016, which was made in an attempt to buy her silence over an alleged affair. Sources familiar with the case have said that the former president is being charged with falsifying business records in the first degree, which is a felony under US law. Details of the charges remain under seal, and Tacopina has said that he himself has not yet seen the charges.
Ahead of his flight to New York on Monday, Trump has reportedly been meeting with his advisors and legal team to plan his defence. Law enforcement officials have told CBS News that the former president will be escorted by members of the US Secret Service on his way to New York, where he will hand himself over to authorities on Tuesday.
The Manhattan courthouse will be closed in the afternoon for the hearing, with Judge Juan Merchan presiding over Trump’s criminal arraignment. Tacopina has said that the former president will not be handcuffed, but other details of the arraignment remain a mystery.
In anticipation of any protests around the city, the New York Police Department has reportedly intensified security measures. A rally for Trump with Republican House Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene has been scheduled for noon on Tuesday in New York, calling for supporters to join in “peaceful protest” against the indictment.
After his hearing, Trump is scheduled to return to his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida, where he has said he will make an address at 20:15 EST. He is running for president again in 2024 and has accused the Manhattan district attorney of “political prosecution”. He is the first US president – sitting or former – to be charged with a criminal felony.
Other Republicans, including House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, have spoken out in support of him and have also accused the district attorney of weaponising the criminal justice system to influence the outcome of next year’s presidential election. In response, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said the charges had been brought by citizens of New York doing their civic duty – and neither the former president nor Congress could interfere with proceedings.
The outcome of Tuesday’s hearing remains uncertain, but it is certain to be a significant moment in the ongoing legal saga surrounding the former president.
