The former US president arrived on Tuesday around 7:25 p.m. (1:25 p.m. local time) at the Manhattan Court in New York, where he is to appear. The elected Republican left the Trump Tower, his New York residence located on 5th Avenue, shortly after 7 p.m. to reach the court, located 6 km further south in Manhattan. Upon his arrival, he gave a brief wave to his supporters present in large numbers in front of the building before entering it. He is therefore briefly placed under arrest, according to CNN. During the trip, which lasted about fifteen minutes, Donald Trump posted a message on his social network “Truth social” in which he considers “surreal to have to appear”. “Wow, they’re going to place me under arrest. I can’t believe this is happening in the United States,” he wrote.
Suspected of having tried to buy the silence of Stormy Daniels, a pornographic film actress with whom he allegedly had an extramarital affair, just before his election in 2016, Donald Trump was charged last Thursday. The $130,000 paid to the actress was reportedly not declared in the Republican candidate’s campaign accounts, violating election laws. The billionaire claims his innocence and claims to be the victim of a “witch hunt” orchestrated by the Democrats of President Joe Biden, who would have “robbed” him of his victory in the 2020 presidential election.
The city placed “on alert”
The half-dozen big black cars escorting the ex-president to court crossed the streets of Manhattan usually congested with vehicles, crossing rare onlookers, not really disturbing the afternoon of the workers of the “Big Apple” .
The city had still been placed on “alert” because of the potential unrest triggered by his appearance. Two crowds began to gather outside the courthouse around 6 p.m. One populated by supporters of the former president, wearing cowboy hats, American flags or “Trump 2024”. Opposite, stood his opponents, brandishing a “Trump Indicted” banner (Trump indicted) and a puppet bearing his likeness, dressed in the traditional orange outfit of American prisoners. The two groups, separated by security barriers, were surrounded by a large police force.