Pleads not guilty in Manhattan court, attacks judge and DA as 'Trump haters'

Trump became the first former president to appear in court as a criminal defendant, pleading not guilty to 34 felony counts in Manhattan. After the brief arraignment before Judge Juan Merchan, Trump returned to Mar-a-Lago where he delivered a defiant speech falsely claiming 'this fake case was brought only to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election' and attacking DA Alvin Bragg as 'a Soros-backed animal.' Trump called Judge Merchan a 'Trump hating' judge, setting a pattern of attacks on judicial officials that would intensify throughout his legal proceedings.

"I never thought anything like this could happen in America... The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it." — Mar-a-Lago speech after arraignment, April 4, 2023