Former US President Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty in a Washington DC court to conspiring to overturn his 2020 presidential election defeat. The arraignment took place in a courthouse just yards from the US Capitol, the scene of the January 6 riot that is central to the prosecution’s case. This marks the third appearance for Trump as a criminal defendant in four months. He arrived at the courthouse through a backdoor and exchanged glances with Jack Smith, the special counsel leading the investigation. Trump’s not-guilty plea covered four charges made in the latest indictment. Earlier, he addressed the arraignment on his Truth Social platform, claiming that the election was “corrupt, rigged, and stolen.” Prosecutors argued for a speedy trial, while Trump’s legal team requested time to prepare. The next hearing is scheduled for August 28 and is expected to be procedural. Despite the mounting legal cases, Trump remains the frontrunner for the Republican nomination for president next year. A group of supporters and anti-Trump demonstrators gathered outside the courthouse during the arraignment. After the hearing, Trump returned to Washington Reagan National Airport to head back to his New Jersey residence.
Why did Trump plead not guilty to the charges of conspiring to overturn his 2020 presidential election defeat
Former US President Donald Trump has entered a plea of not guilty in a Washington DC court to charges of conspiring to overturn his 2020 presidential election defeat. The arraignment occurred just yards away from the US Capitol, which was the site of the January 6 riot that is central to the prosecution’s case. This is Trump’s third appearance as a criminal defendant in just four months.
Arriving at the courthouse discreetly through a backdoor, Trump exchanged glances with Jack Smith, the special counsel leading the investigation. His not-guilty plea covers the four charges outlined in the latest indictment. Prior to the arraignment, Trump took to his Truth Social platform to claim that the election was “corrupt, rigged, and stolen.”
Prosecutors are pushing for a swift trial, while Trump’s legal team has requested additional time to prepare. The next hearing, scheduled for August 28, is expected to be procedural in nature. Despite the mounting legal cases, Trump remains the frontrunner for the Republican nomination for president next year. A mixture of supporters and anti-Trump demonstrators gathered outside the courthouse during the arraignment.
Following the hearing, Trump returned to Washington Reagan National Airport in order to head back to his residence in New Jersey.
