Donald Trump’s first remarks after arraignment: ‘US justice system now lawless’

Former US President Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in New York court.

Arriving at his Florida home, Donald Trump addressed his supporters, saying, “I never thought anything like this could happen in America. The only crime I have committed to fearlessly defend our nation.”

“Our country is going to hell”, Donald Trump said as the crowd of supporters clapped for him in support as he said that his campaign was a victim of election interference, lashing out at New York prosecutor Alvin Bragg for bringing criminal charges against him.

“This fake case was brought only to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election and it should be dropped immediately,” he said. Targeting the Joe Biden administration, Donald Trump- frontrunner in the race for the 2024 Republican nomination- said that “radical left” prosecutors were out to get him “at any cost.”

Prosecutors accused Donald Trump of orchestrating payments to two women before the 2016 US election to suppress publication of their sexual encounters with him. With this, Donald Trump became the first sitting or former US President to face criminal charges.

The prosecutor said, “The defendant Donald J. Trump falsified New York business records in order to conceal an illegal conspiracy to undermine the integrity of the 2016 presidential election and other violations of election laws.”

Donald Trump also made a series of social media posts, including one threatening “death and destruction”, the prosecutors added as the judge asked the former US President to “please refrain from making statements that are likely to incite violence or civil unrest.”