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Donald Trump is scheduled to make his first court appearance on Thursday for the most recent criminal case brought against him. The former US president is now facing allegations of attempting to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
The hearing will take place in federal court in downtown Washington at 4pm. This comes just two days after the Department of Justice charged Trump with four criminal counts, including conspiracies to defraud the US and obstruct official proceedings.
Trump’s arraignment will occur near the US Capitol building, where a group of his supporters tried to block the certification of Joe Biden’s electoral victory on January 6, 2021. The violent riot that took place that day is a central point in the criminal case against Trump, highlighting the vulnerability of American democracy and receiving condemnation from all sides of the political spectrum.
The indictment, revealed on Tuesday, alleges that Trump initiated a “criminal scheme” to prevent the certification of Biden’s legitimate win, along with six co-conspirators. This marks the second set of criminal charges brought against Trump by Jack Smith, the special counsel appointed by US Attorney General Merrick Garland to oversee investigations involving the former president.
Trump is expected to appear in person, just as he did in a Miami federal court in June for charges related to mishandling sensitive government documents. In that previous case, he pleaded not guilty to numerous criminal counts, including conspiracy to obstruct justice and making false statements.
During Thursday’s appearance, Trump will submit his plea in the case related to the alleged plot to overturn the 2020 election. His fingerprints will be taken digitally, but his photograph will not be necessary as he is easily recognizable, according to the US Marshals Service. Trump will also be required to provide personal information such as his address, date of birth, and social security number.
Tom Manger, the US Capitol Police chief, addressed reporters after a security scare forced the evacuation of US Senate office buildings on Wednesday. Manger stated that law enforcement is prepared for the arraignment and has been coordinating with partner agencies in anticipation of the indictment.
The Trump campaign has dismissed the indictment as a “pathetic attempt” by Biden and the DoJ to interfere with the 2024 election. Despite mounting legal challenges at both the federal and state levels, Trump remains the clear frontrunner among Republicans seeking the party’s nomination to challenge Biden in the 2024 vote.
Most of Trump’s rivals for the Republican presidential nomination have refrained from criticizing him. Instead, they have criticized the DoJ for weaponizing the justice system against political adversaries. However, there are some exceptions.
“The events around the White House from election night forward are a stain on our country’s history and a disgrace to the people who participated. This disgrace falls the most on Donald Trump,” tweeted Chris Christie, the former governor of New Jersey, late on Tuesday.
Mike Pence, the former vice-president who certified the 2020 results despite Trump’s protests, told reporters at the Iowa state fair that the former president had been listening to “crackpot lawyers” who convinced him there was a way to stay in power.
The arraignment on Thursday will be Trump’s third this year. A special grand jury in Georgia is also investigating alleged interference in the 2020 polls by Trump and others. If local prosecutors decide to pursue a separate case, it is likely to emerge in the coming weeks.
Four months ago, Trump became the first former US president to face criminal charges when he pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in a case brought by the Manhattan district attorney. The charges stemmed from an alleged scheme to suppress negative stories before his 2016 presidential candidacy, which included a payment to an adult film actress.
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