Former President Donald Trump said it was a “very sad day for America” after pleading not guilty at his Thursday arraignment after being indicted on charges related to the 2020 election.
“This is a persecution of a political opponent,” Trump told reporters on the airport tarmac. “This was never supposed to happen in America.”
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Trump appeared in Washington's federal courthouse after Special Counsel Jack Smith charged him on four felony counts: Conspiracy to defraud the United States, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights.
“This is the persecution of the person that's leading by very, very substantial numbers in the Republican primary and leading Biden by a lot,” Trump said.
He attacked the state of Washington, D.C.'s buildings and streets, adding the city is not the same as when he left office.
“It was also very sad driving through Washington, D.C., and seeing the filth and the decay and all of the broken buildings and walls and the graffiti,” Trump said.
Trump stood before Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadhyaya, who outlined a number of conditions he must comply with, including an order to have no contact about the case with any witnesses unless lawyers are present.
Thousands of his supporters have been charged with federal crimes in the very courthouse Trump entered Thursday for their role in the Jan. 6, 2021 riot at the U.S. Capitol.
Trump has been indicted three times this year, with the newest case including six alleged co-conspirators, most of whom are attorneys and one Justice Department official.
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In early 2022, the Justice Department began investigating Trump for retaining classified documents following his exit from the White House. Smith indicted Trump in June, and the former president pleaded not guilty. A Manhattan grand jury voted to indict Trump in March on charges of falsifying business records around an alleged hush money payment to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
The next hearing in Trump’s 2020 election indictment has been set for Aug. 28, with U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan presiding. The judge is known for delivering harsh sentences in Capitol Riot cases.