A Manhattan grand jury voted Thursday to indict Donald Trump, marking the first time in history that a former U.S. president will face criminal charges.
With the indictment yet to be unsealed, the specifics of the charges aren’t clear, but the Manhattan district attorney has alleged that Trump broke the law with his role in a hush-money payment to an adult-film actress.
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The former president criticized the indictment in a statement posted on his Truth Social platform, describing it as “the unthinkable — indicting a completely innocent person in an act of blatant Election interference.”
So what happens now?
- Flight to New York City on Monday: Trump, a Florida resident, said on Truth Social that he planned to leave his Mar-a-Lago resort on Monday at noon Eastern time and that he would head to Trump Tower. He’s expected to take a flight that arrives at LaGuardia Airport at about 3 p.m. Eastern time and then to spend the night in midtown Manhattan at Trump Tower, according to multiple published reports.
- Tuesday arraignment: Trump’s arraignment is expected to take place Tuesday, one of the former president’s lawyers told MarketWatch. An arraignment is the formal reading of charges in a defendant’s presence. He is slated to surrender to authorities Tuesday morning before a court appearance at 2:15 p.m. Eastern, according to multiple published reports. Trump is not expected to do a “perp walk” or to be handcuffed when he surrenders to authorities before his arraignment, but he is still likely to have a mug shot photo taken, a CBS News report said.
- Role of the Secret Service: U.S. Secret Service agents are obligated by law to protect the former president in all settings, so they would be with him throughout the booking process and arraignment, and they probably would want proceedings “done as quietly as possible,” a retired Secret Service agent told The Wall Street Journal.
- Return to Florida: Trump is expected to be released after Tuesday’s proceedings in Manhattan, meaning he’ll be free to return to Florida as a lengthy legal process plays out. Cases in New York can take months or even more than a year to go to trial, and attorneys from both sides are likely to argue over topics including dismissing the case and the venue for the trial.
- Speech on Tuesday night: Trump plans to deliver remarks on Tuesday night in Florida. He is expected to be joined by supporters as he tries to project an image of strength and defiance and to turn the charges into a political asset to boost his 2024 presidential campaign, according to an Associated Press report.
Now read: Biden declines to comment on Trump indictment as he heads to Mississippi town hit by tornado
Also see: What is an indictment, and what does being indicted mean for Trump?
Plus: Trump indictment draws ‘lock him up’ cheers and ‘it is un-American’ jeers
