After his arrest in New York, Trump returns to war from Florida

Evan Vucci Associated Press “I never imagined this was possible in America”, – he launched from the large reception room of his luxurious residence in Mar-a-Lago.

Exit the dark face and the silent attitude that marked his appearance before the Criminal Court of New York, in the afternoon. It is a Donald Trump who is once again combative and resentful, still driven by his own conspiracy theories, who spoke on Tuesday evening, from his private residence in Mar-a-Lago, in the wake of his arrest and his detention. accusation by Manhattan justice.

“I would never have imagined this possible in America,” said the former US president, opening a speech as expected as his arrival at the Manhattan District Attorney's office earlier in the day Tuesday. He spoke from Florida, where he had returned after 24 hours in New York. “The only crime I have committed is fearlessly defending our nation against those who seek to destroy it. In essence, the populist called the charges he now faces an “insult” to that same nation, reiterating his line of defense in passing: Dozens of “legal experts say that there is no case” and that he has “not done anything illegal”.

Brought before Judge Juan Merchan on Tuesday afternoon, Donald Trump was officially accused of having sought to conceal potential sexual and personal scandals during his 2016 presidential campaign by falsifying commercial documents. Although this is the second arrest of a US president – Ulysses S. Grant was the first in 1872 for speeding on horseback through the streets of Washington – the criminal charges filed against a former occupier of the White House constitute a first in the United States.

“Today we take responsibility for ensuring that everyone is equal under the law,” Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg summed up during his press conference after Donald Trump's indictment. . “No amount of money, no amount of power changes this fundamental American principle. »

Photo: Rebecca Blackwell Associated Press Donald Trump leaves the crowded courtroom on Tuesday.

The populist thus faces 34 charges. The next hearing before the judge has been set for next December, for a trial which could open in January 2024, a few weeks before the start of the Republican primaries for the next presidential election. Trump is currently leading in this race.

According to court documents released in the wake of the billionaire's impeachment, Trump orchestrated bribes to three people, including a doorman at Trump Tower in New York who claimed to have proof of the existence of a child of Donald Trump born out of wedlock, but also the porn actress Stormy Daniels and the playmate Karen McDougal, to buy their silence on the adulterous relations he allegedly had with.

The former president has pleaded not guilty to all of these charges.

“Massive election interference”

From Florida, the Republican sought to discredit Judge Merchan, responsible for leading his impeachment. “I have a Trump hating judge with a Trump hating wife and family whose daughter worked for Kamala Harris,” he said.

In fact, Loren Merchan, daughter of the judge, worked on digital campaign strategies for Joe Biden and Kamala Harris in 2020, however nothing convincing according to several experts in judicial ethics to justify a recusal of the magistrate, as claimed. earlier Tuesday Donald Trump.

In conquered land at Mar-a-Lago, in front of several members of his family, a hundred guests, but also strong figures of his Make America Great Again (MAGA) movement, including the radical right political strategist Roger Stone or Representative of Georgia Marjorie Taylor-Greene, Donald Trump, however, refrained from calling on his supporters for a strong mobilization to thwart his impeachment or replay a “January 6, 2021” scenario. That day, he had launched his supporters against Congress in an insurrection aimed at overturning the results of the presidential election to stay in power. A Board of Inquiry has recommended that criminal charges be brought against him.

During his appearance, Judge Merchan asked him to refrain from making comments that could inflame or cause civil unrest, while the populist invited these troops to “protest, protest, protest”, against an indictment which he had claimed the existence of several days before it was formalized by the justice of New York.

On his social network, he also showed himself last March, in a violent posture, baseball bat in hand, next to the photo of Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, who is currently leading the legal charge against him.< /p>

A charge called “massive election interference” by Donald Trump in front of his followers in Florida on Tuesday evening, to whom he launched: “Since they [the Democrats] can't beat us by the ballot box, they seek to do so through justice”.

Recall that in 2020, Trump lost his seat in the White House with a deficit of 7.05 million votes over his opponent Joe Biden. Despite his numerous allegations of voter fraud and ballot stuffing, no investigation or recount, including in Republican-controlled states, has failed to prove it.

However, in Georgia, Donald Trump faces a judicial inquiry that could lead to another indictment of the populist for pressuring local election officials. He was looking to raise votes to his advantage to give himself a victory he did not have in this southern state, acquired by the Democrats.