April 3, 2023 Trump indictment news

Former President Donald Trump has landed in New York's La Guardia Airport ahead of his expected Tuesday arraignment in a Manhattan courthouse.

History was made Thursday when he was indicted by a New York grand jury. It's the first time that a current or former US president has been criminally charged.

The Manhattan district attorney's office has been investigating Trump's alleged role in a hush money payment scheme and cover-up involving adult film star Stormy Daniels that dates to the 2016 presidential campaign.

Trump's attorney said he plans to file "substantial" legal challenges. The former president has repeatedly denied wrongdoing in the matter and accused Democrats of targeting him politically.

See more photos of the days leading up to Trump's indictment:

A small group of supporters chanted as former President Donald Trump arrived at his namesake tower on Monday afternoon, with a handful of people waving banners with messages like “Trump won” and “Arrest Biden.”

While Trump couldn’t see his admirers as he entered a side door on 56th Street, his arrival came with more fanfare and security than at any other time in his post presidency.

Now that he is inside the building — where he launched his presidential bid nearly eight years ago — Trump is expected to meet with lawyers and political advisers on the eve of his arraignment, an aide told CNN. 

Trump's mood was described by an adviser as “defiant and focused,” as he watched expansive television coverage while flying back to his native New York City from Florida. 

Special counsel prosecutors have secured evidence including daily notes, texts, emails and photographs and are focused on cataloging how Donald Trump handled classified records around the Mar-a-Lago resort and those who may have witnessed the former president with them, according to multiple sources familiar with the investigation.

The new details come amid signs the Justice Department is taking steps that are typically near the end of an investigation.

The recent investigative activity before a federal grand jury in Washington, DC, also includes subpoenaing witnesses in March and April who had previously spoken to investigators, the sources said. While the FBI interviewed many aides and workers at Mar-a-Lago nearly a year ago voluntarily, grand jury appearances are transcribed and under oath — an indication the prosecutors are locking in witness testimony.

The focus of both the mishandling of records and obstruction of justice probes has remained on the actions of the former president, the sources say. That includes prosecutors pursuing evidence of Trump's intent to keep classified records after he left the White House, plus his knowledge that the records remained in his possession after the Justice Department demanded their return last May.

Witnesses are being questioned about what they saw in Trump's private residential and work areas within the club, some of the sources said.

Read more about this here.

Former President Donald Trump has arrived at his midtown Manhattan property Trump Tower. 

He will stay at Trump Tower tonight and is expected to depart New York immediately after Tuesday's arraignment to head back to Florida — where he plans to deliver remarks at his Mar-a-lago home. 

President Joe Biden told CNN’s Betsy Klein he isn't worried about unrest due to former President Donald Trump’s criminal indictment in New York.

“No, I have faith in the New York Police Department,” Biden said on Monday during a tour of a power generation facility in Fridley, Minnesota. 

Asked if he had faith in the legal system, Biden replied: “Yes.”

As former President Donald Trump walked down from his plane at La Guardia Airport on the eve of his arraignment, CNN's Gloria Borger noted the unique situation he's in.

Trump is "one of the most famous people in the world, and he is a former president, presidential candidate, and now he's a defendant. We haven't seen that. It's hard to kind of process that," Borger said to CNN's Dana Bash.

Borger also highlighted how Trump's day in court is something he's avoided for decades and that it will be a grievance he uses to rile up his supporters.

CNN's Audie Cornish noted how Trump ending up in court seemed unavoidable given the "sheer number of investigations against him."

Acting New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan said he’ll likely issue a decision tonight on whether media outlets can broadcast former President Donald Trump’s arraignment on Tuesday.

CNN is part of the media coalition that asked the judge for permission to broadcast the hearing.

More on this: Trump’s attorneys said in their letter to Merchan that he is required under court rules to take into account potential security concerns.

“As Your Honor is well-aware, this case presents extraordinary security concerns (including Secret Service-related concerns) and we submit that any video or photography of the proceedings will only heighten these serious concerns,” they wrote.

The Manhattan District Attorney’s office also responded Monday to the news outlets’ request and said that it was deferring to the judge to make a decision on how best to manage his courtroom.

Donald Trump — the first former president in history to face criminal charges — has arrived in New York for an expected arraignment on Tuesday after being indicted last week by a Manhattan grand jury.

The former president will stay at Trump Tower tonight, according to a source familiar with his plans. But even before Trump’s appearance, his presence will be felt in the Manhattan courthouse Tuesday, as all trials and most other court activity is being halted before he is slated to arrive.

Here is what we know about tomorrow's events:

CNN’s John Miller, Jeremy Herb, Katelyn Polantz, Tierney Sneed, Sydney Kashiwagi, Kristen Holmes, Holmes Lybrand, Hannah Rabinowitz, Paula Reid, Alayna Treene, Gregory Clary and Devan Cole contributed reporting to this post.

Former President Donald Trump has landed in New York's La Guardia Airport ahead of his expected Tuesday arraignment in a Manhattan courthouse.

The former president touched down shortly after 3:25 p.m. ET.

Trump faces more than 30 counts related to business fraud, CNN has reported, but the indictment remains under seal. He is the first current or former president to face criminal charges in American history.

He will spend Monday night at the Trump Tower, according to a source familiar with his plans.

The Secret Service is scheduled to accompany Trump in the early afternoon Tuesday to the district attorney’s office, which is in the same building as the courthouse, where he is expected to be arraigned.

The former president is expected to return to Florida shortly after his court appearance and has scheduled an event that evening to speak publicly.