**Former President Donald Trump to Report to Atlanta Jail to Face Charges**
ATLANTA, Aug 24 (Reuters) – Donald Trump, the former President of the United States and Republican presidential candidate, is scheduled to report to an Atlanta jail on Thursday evening to face charges related to his efforts to overturn his 2020 election loss. This will mark the fourth criminal case brought against the controversial figure this year.
Trump, who has been campaigning to win back the presidency in the November 2024 election, will need to appear at the Fulton County Jail in Atlanta for the standard procedure of being fingerprinted and photographed. It is expected that his mug shot will be widely circulated by both supporters and detractors.
The charges against Trump include 13 felony counts, including racketeering, for allegedly pressuring state officials in Georgia to reverse his election loss to Democratic President Joe Biden. The investigation leading to the charges was conducted by Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis.
The 77-year-old former president has denied any wrongdoing and has characterized all of the criminal cases brought against him this year as politically motivated. He is set to enter a plea in the Georgia case on September 5 and has already pleaded not guilty in the other three cases.
In preparation for his court appearances, Trump has agreed to post a $200,000 bond and has accepted bail conditions that prohibit him from threatening witnesses or his 18 co-defendants in the case. Additionally, he has enlisted the help of Atlanta criminal defense attorney Steve Sadow to bolster his legal team.
The Federal Aviation Administration has ordered the closure of the airspace over the jail starting at around 6:45 p.m. ET (2245 GMT) due to “VIP movement.” The Fulton County Jail is known for its grim conditions, which have gained attention in popular culture and prompted an investigation by the U.S. Justice Department.
Outside the jail, approximately a dozen Trump supporters, some holding flags, have gathered to show their support. Among them is 81-year-old retiree Bob Kunst, who traveled from Miami Beach to stand outside the jailhouse with a homemade sign that reads “Lock Biden Up.”
Trump’s legal troubles have prompted concerns about nationwide protests, similar to the violent unrest witnessed during the Jan. 6, 2021 attack on the U.S. Capitol by his supporters. However, authorities have reported no violent incidents outside the courthouses in New York, Miami, and Washington where Trump has been arraigned this year.
The timing of Trump’s jailhouse visit coincides with his rivals in the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination holding their inaugural debate in Milwaukee. Skirting the debate, Trump instead sat for a pre-taped interview with conservative commentator Tucker Carlson on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter.
Regarding his indictments, Trump laments, “I’ve been indicted four times – all trivial nonsense.” Nevertheless, he maintains a lead in opinion polls among Republican voters. However, analysts have noted that his legal troubles could alienate independent voters, an essential demographic for winning a general election rematch against Biden.
The charges in Georgia revolve around Trump allegedly pressuring state officials to manipulate the formal congressional certification process of the 2020 election results in an attempt to reverse his defeat. Trump has continuously made unfounded claims of widespread voting fraud that supposedly cost him the election.
Out of the 18 co-defendants in the Georgia case, nine, including his former lawyer Rudolph Giuliani, have surrendered to authorities. The remaining eight face potential arrest if they fail to comply by the Friday deadline.
Trump stands as the first former U.S. president to be charged with any crime. In total, he faces 91 separate criminal counts across the cases brought against him in Washington, D.C., Florida, and New York. These charges include allegations of attempting to overturn the election, mishandling classified documents upon leaving office, and paying hush money to a porn star before the 2016 election.
The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles. [Acquire Licensing Rights](opens new tab)