Former US president Trump arrives in NYC ahead of arraignment in hush money case

WASHINGTON – Former US President Donald Trump has arrived in New York ahead of his expected arraignment in court after his indictment on criminal charges of hush money paid to a porn star.

The news made headlines across the globe as the Republican leader will be the first president in US history who will be brought before a judge, and to be charged with a crime. The recent developments are a major blow for a firebrand politician who campaigns to become president again, in the 2024 election.

Trump is likely to be released on bail and will return to his Mar-a-Lago home and he is slated to address his supporters today on Tuesday.

The recent proceedings follow the court’s vote to indict Trump, in wake of strong evidence to bring criminal charges against the 76-year-old. Ahead of his arraignment, cops in New York and other cities are making preparations to deal with expected protests as Trump gave call to supporters to protest with full force.

For the unversed, the court proceedings are linked to a payment made by Trump to a porn star  Stormy Daniels who pushed her story of an affair with a Republican leader.

Trump slammed the indictment as political persecution and election interference, while his allies and sons have denounced it as a vendetta aimed at derailing his 2024 campaign. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who is expected to challenge Trump for the Republican party nomination, has called the indictment "un-American." The top Republican in the House of Representatives, Kevin McCarthy, has said that the indictment has irreparably damaged the country.

The impact of the indictment on Trump's election chances is unpredictable, with critics and adversaries alike voicing concerns about the legal merits of the hush money case. Trump is seen as the frontrunner to be the Republican nominee in the 2024 election, and the indictment is likely to juice turnout among his base, boosting his chances in the party primary.

Trump also faces felony investigations in Georgia relating to the 2020 election and in Washington over the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol by his supporters. He has branded all of the investigations political persecution.