Former President Donald Trump is scheduled to travel from Florida to New York City on Monday in preparation for his Tuesday arraignment concerning payments made to a porn star prior to the 2016 election. As Trump makes his way to Manhattan, security measures are being intensified around the city.
This marks the first time a former U.S. president has faced criminal charges. Trump, whose lawyers maintain he will plead not guilty, will be arraigned, fingerprinted, and photographed at a downtown Manhattan courthouse.
Details of the grand jury indictment have yet to be revealed, and Tuesday's court appearance will be Trump's initial encounter with a judge in the case. On Sunday evening, Trump announced on social media his plans to depart from his Mar-a-Lago estate in Palm Beach at noon and head to Trump Tower in Manhattan before appearing in court the following morning.
According to a court official, the arraignment is slated for 2:15 p.m. (1815 GMT) on Tuesday. Trump will then return to Florida to give a speech at Mar-a-Lago at 8:15 p.m. on Tuesday (0015 GMT on Wednesday).
Over the weekend, New York police started setting up barricades around Trump Tower and the Manhattan Criminal Court building. Demonstrations are anticipated at both locations, and law enforcement officials are prepared for the events. The New York Police Department stated, "Officers have been placed on alert, and the department remains ready to respond as needed and will ensure everyone can peacefully exercise their rights."
As part of the security measures, other courtrooms on the courthouse's upper floors will be closed before the arraignment. The grand jury has been examining evidence related to a $130,000 payment made to adult film actress Stormy Daniels in the final days of the 2016 presidential campaign. Trump has denied having an affair with Daniels, who alleges that she was paid to stay quiet about a sexual encounter with Trump in 2006.
Trump, 76, served as president from 2017 to 2021 and announced his bid for the presidency in 2024 last November. The New York case is one of several investigations that Trump faces as he seeks to return to the White House. The former president and his supporters have characterized the charges as politically motivated.
Joe Tacopina, one of Trump's attorneys, anticipates more information about the arraignment will become available on Monday, and he noted that the Secret Service will also play a role in Tuesday's proceedings.
