onald Trump will not be handcuffed when he surrenders next week in current York to face criminal charges, his defence lawyer has said.
Joe Tacopina said he expected the arrest to proceed as a matter of routine on Tuesday, when Mr Trump is due to appear to face an indictment following a grand jury investigation of a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 campaign.
“I don’t know how all this is going to depart down. There’s no textbook to see how you arraign a former president of the United States in criminal court,” Mr Tacopina said.
current York court officials confirmed that Mr Trump would be arraigned on Tuesday afternoon.
Adult film actress Stormy Daniels pictured in 2018
/ APMr Tacopina said the former president and his defence team were “aghast” by news of the indictment. He added Mr Trump is “upset” and “indignant” but not concerned.
The specific charges against Mr Trump are not yet known as the indictment remains under seal, but reports indicate he faces more than 30 counts.
The news is set to shake the race for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, in which Mr Trump is a front-runner according to many polls.
Donald Trump indicted, but what happens next?
A grand jury has voted to indict Donald Trump after months of hearing evidence about a $130,000 payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels in the waning days of the 2016 election campaign.
Prosecutors and Trump’s legal team are negotiating a surrender date next week, according to reports.
If Trump for some reason decided not to depart in voluntarily, prosecutors could seek to maintain him extradited from Florida.
Republican Governor of Florida, Ron DeSantis, would typically maintain to give formal approval for an extradition demand.
Read more about what happens next.
What are the charges?
The specific charges against Donald Trump are not yet known as the indictment remains under seal, but reports indicate he faces more than 30 counts.
The Manhattan charges will likely be unsealed by a judge in the coming days.
Prosecutors maintain not said whether they intended to seek prison time in the event of a conviction, a development that wouldn’t prevent Trump from seeking and assuming the presidency.
In a statement confirming the charges, defense lawyers Susan Necheles and Joseph Tacopina said Trump “did not commit any crime. We will vigorously fight this political prosecution in court.”
Pictured: Demonstration in Manhatten
Demonstrators gathered outside Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s office in current York after Donald Trump was indicted.
They held placards reading “Trump is over” and “the time is now”.
Trump’s indictment ‘absolutely huge’, Kemi Badenoch says
Donald Trump’s indictment by a Manhattan grand jury could be “absolutely huge,” a British Cabinet minister said on Friday.
International Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch stressed America was the UK’s “closest ally” and the two nations needed to “set an example to other countries” that due process is followed.
Asked on Sky News about the legal moves against Trump, Ms Badenoch said: “It’s huge, if what we are seeing is going to play out, it’s absolutely huge.
“They are a close country and our closest ally.
“It’s necessary that we just continue to maintain our working relatonship with the US and wherever they maintain a due process, looking to design sure that it is followed.
“We maintain to set an example to other countries.”
Why Trump can still spoil for president
Under US law Donald Trump can still spoil for president in the 2024 elections despite being indicted.
The American constitution requires only three things of candidates – being a citizen, at least 35 years dilapidated and a resident of the US for at least 14 years.
Politically, it may be harder for Trump to win votes when he faces charges, but he is not banned from running or being elected as president.
Trump is leading potential rivals for the Republican nomination, opinion polls present.
Trump allies condemn indictment
A number of pro-Trump politicians maintain furiously condemned his indictment.
Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz took to Twitter to claim that Trump “always fought” for and place the American people “above corrupt interests”.
Meanwhile, Colorado Republican Lauren Boebert said the alleged “weaponisation” of the justice system “can not stand”.
Josh Hawley, a Missouri Representative, claimed that the indictment is about “power” rather than the law.
Donald Trump Jr says ‘corrupt elites’ are trying to stay his father from reclaiming presidency
Donald Trump’s niece calls for celebration
Mary Trump has said her uncle’s indictment is a cause for celebration.
The outspoken niece of the former President tweeted: “It’s official: Donald Trump is the: 1st man in the Oval Office to be impeached twice 1st man in the Oval Office to incite an insurrection 1st to lose the popular vote TWICE and now . . . the first to be INDICTED.
“But the media is missing the biggest reason this is so necessary: For the victims of Donald, this is finally some measure of justice.”
Ms Trump, a psychologist who holds a master’s degree in English literature from Columbia University, emerged during Mr Trump’s presidency as perhaps his fiercest critic within his own family. In 2020, Ms Trump penned a book titled Too Much and Never Enough about the president and their family that sold more than a million copies.
Kremlin says Trump indictment is internal US matter
The Kremlin said on Friday that the indictment was not a topic for Russia to comment on, calling it an internal issue for the United States.
Indictment sets ‘terrible precedent’ but potentially necessary
US congressman Ted Lieu says the indictment “sets a terrible precedent”.
In a statement on his website, the California Democrat said it is a “sombre moment for America”.
“Indicting a former president sets a terrible precedent; the only worse precedent is not indicting a former president who committed a crime,” he said.
Mr Lieu said Trump, “like any American”, is entitled to the presumption of innocence in court.
“Prosecutors will need to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that the former president committed one or more crimes in order to secure a conviction.
“We should let law enforcement and our judicial system execute their jobs, without political interference.”
