Trump surrenders for alleged role in porn star hush money payment
NEW YORK — Former President Donald Trump turned himself in Tuesday to authorities in the Manhattan district attorney’s office, where he will be booked on criminal charges connected tohis alleged role in a hush money payment made to a porn star.
Trump, the first current or former president ever to be indicted, waved to the crowd and then entered the district attorney’s office around 1:30 p.m., accompanied by U.S. Secret Service agents and his lawyers.
He is expected to be fingerprinted, but is unlikely to have his mug shot taken. He will remain in the custody of the district attorney’s office until he is escorted to a courtroom in the same building Tuesday afternoon to be arraigned. After his arraignment, he is expected to be released without having to post bail.
For Trump, the accommodations of the district attorney’s office, a drab government facility, are much less comfortable than his typical surroundings. He seemed to acknowledge the extraordinary circumstances even as they were unfolding.
“Heading to Lower Manhattan, the Courthouse. Seems so SURREAL,” he posted on Truth Social minutes before he arrived. “WOW, they are going to ARREST ME. Can’t believe this is happening in America.”
Outside the district attorney’s office, police had shut down streets leading to the primary entrance while helicopters buzzed overhead. Across the street from the courthouse, competing factions of anti- and pro-Trump protesters, featuring appearances by Reps. Marjorie Taylor Greene and George Santos, set up camp in a park, near where throngs of reporters and curious onlookers had slept overnight on the street to compete to gain access to Tuesday afternoon’s arraignment.
Trump, who lives in Florida, flew to Manhattan on Monday and stayed overnight in his Trump Tower penthouse before a motorcade, followed overhead by news helicopters, ferried him downtown Tuesday afternoon.
Trump’s surrender marks the first time he has entered the office he has accused of political bias against him, calling District Attorney Alvin Bragg an “animal” and “racist.”
Bragg has not responded directly to Trump, but did defend the indictment against GOP attacks. Bragg plans to hold a press conference on Tuesday after Trump’s arraignment.