Trump live updates: Trump calls it a 'very sad day' for America after not guilty plea

Summary

Donald Trump pleaded not guilty to all four "election lies" charges during his appearance at a Washington DC court
Prosecutors did not ask for Trump to be detained but he was warned of "consequences" if he were to communicate about the facts of the case
The former president is accused of "fuelling" the January 6 attack on the US Capitol by sowing distrust in the 2020 election
The indictment also says he pressured election officials to change results in a failed attempt to cling on to power
Trump said on the airport tarmac after court that the case is a "persecution of a political opponent" to hurt his chance of re-election in 2024
Trump is the favourite to be the Republican candidate in the 2024 election despite being charged in two other unrelated cases

Live Reporting

Edited by Brandon Livesay and Marianna Brady

Court will sit again at the end of Augustpublished at 21:37 British Summer Time 3 August 2023
Sam Cabral
Reporting from court
We've just been informed the next hearing in this case, with Judge Tanya Chutkan, will take place on 28 August at 10:00 local time (15:00 BST).
Judge Moxila Upadhyaya, who is overseeing the hearing today, offered up three potential dates.
Prosecutors asked for the earliest - 21 August - while the defence were successful in requesting the latest date.
Trump does not need to attend this hearing.
Trump listened to judge attentivelypublished at 21:35 British Summer Time 3 August 2023
Sam Cabral
Reporting from court
There's a lot of attention on how Trump has acted in the courtroom.
The former president has been attentive throughout the hearing, leaning forward in his chair and never resting his arms on the table as he faces the judge directly.
He has leaned forward to answer the judge's questions clearly into the mic.
A reminder of the chargespublished at 21:32 British Summer Time 3 August 2023
Trump has pleaded not guilty to four counts relating to the 2020 election results:
- conspiracy to defraud the US
- conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding
- obstruction of an official proceeding
- conspiracy against the rights of citizens
The first count refers to alleged attempts to obstruct the collection, counting and certification of votes.
The second and third deal with alleged attempts to obstruct the certification of electoral college votes in the US Congress on 6 January 2021, which culminated in the Capitol riot.
The fourth charge is about alleged attempts to interfere with citizens' right to vote and to have their votes counted.
You can read more about the charges and what they mean here.
Prosecutors not looking to detain Trumppublished at 21:30 British Summer Time 3 August 2023
Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from court
The prosecutors say they are not seeking for Trump to be detained ahead of his trial.
But the former president is told he must not communicate about the facts of the case and must report to the DC court for appearances.
The judge is now warning of "consequences" for violating pre-trial conditions.
Failure to comply may result in an arrest warrant, revoked release conditions, custody, and contempt of court charges.
Trump pleads not guiltypublished at 21:26 British Summer Time 3 August 2023
Breaking
Sam Cabral
Reporting from court
Donald Trump has just pleaded not guilty to all four charges against him.
Trump confirms his name and says he's not under the influencepublished at 21:23 British Summer Time 3 August 2023
Sam Cabral
Reporting from court
Trump and his lawyers have turned their chairs to face the judge now that the hearing has begun.
Trump listens intently as the judge gives her instructions.
The former president says his name and age into a microphone when asked.
He affirms that he is not under the influence of any substances.
Why we can't see inside the roompublished at 21:22 British Summer Time 3 August 2023
Cameras are not allowed in courtrooms for federal court cases. That means, no cameras in the room with Trump during his arraignment.
However, at least one lawmaker is calling for that rule to change.
Congresswoman Dina Titus, from Nevada, posted on X, external, formerly Twitter: "If the public is to accept the outcomes of the Trump indictments, it should be allowed to witness the proceedings."
She says she's signed a petition calling for the former president's criminal cases to be broadcast.
Trump sworn inpublished at 21:21 British Summer Time 3 August 2023
Breaking
Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from court
Donald Trump has been sworn in by the judge.
She is giving instructions to Trump and telling him the procedure, the charges and possible penalties, followed by his rights.
Trump stood up but was then told he didn't need to so he sat back down.
Judge enters courtpublished at 21:16 British Summer Time 3 August 2023
Breaking
Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from court
The judge has now taken her seat and proceedings can begin.
Trump is kept waiting...published at 21:15 British Summer Time 3 August 2023
Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from court
The hearing was meant to start 15 minutes ago.
As he waits, the former president is reading from a stack of documents in front of him.
He's again chatting with Blanche, one of his lawyers, and has occasionally gestured and pointed at the papers.
Jack Smith is visible in the back but staring straight ahead, silent.
Who are the judges overseeing the case?published at 21:13 British Summer Time 3 August 2023
We're still waiting on US Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadhyaya to enter the room. She will oversee today's arraignment hearing.
It is taking place at a courthouse just across the road from the Capitol building, where the 6 January riot took place.
Another judge has been chosen to oversee the actual criminal case – US District Judge Tanya Chutkan, who was appointed to the judiciary by former president Barack Obama.
Judge Chutkan has previously ruled against Trump, famously declaring in one judgement: "Presidents are not kings, and Plaintiff is not president."
In her current role, she has seen dozens of people accused of participation in the 6 January riots appear before her.
Few judges have handed down harsher sentences to those convicted of wrongdoing in the riots.
Trump's lawyers have been seeking to have the case moved to the Republican-leaning state of West Virginia. But experts and reportedly even members of Trump's own legal team, have said they do not expect to see a change of trial venue.
Read more here:
Who is Tanya Chutkan? The hard-line judge on Trump's election case
Image source, UNITED STATES COURTS SERVICE
Image caption,
Judge Chutkan will be overseeing the criminal trial after the arraingment
We're waiting for the judge to appearpublished at 21:06 British Summer Time 3 August 2023
Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from court
We're still waiting on the judge - it's now been 10 minutes.
Trump and his lawyers have been whispering to each other.
His hands are still folded in front of him and he occasionally taps on the table.
Noisy atmosphere outside the courthousepublished at 21:01 British Summer Time 3 August 2023
Sean Dilley
Reporting from outside court
The crowd where we are outside the courthouse is loud. Really, really loud.
Some of the language being used by Donald Trump's supporters and detractors cannot be repeated.
But while you can’t measure it, you can certainly feel the atmosphere in this normally quiet area from both protesters and curious onlookers.
Trump speaks with lawyerspublished at 21:00 British Summer Time 3 August 2023
Sam Cabral
Reporting from court
Trump is sitting between his lawyers - John Lauro on the right and Todd Blanche on the left.
He is speaking quite a bit with Blanche, while Lauro is on his feet and speaking with prosecutors.
Trump and special counsel Jack Smith appear to occasionally look at one another.
From our vantage point, they have certainly looked in each other's direction several times, even if not directly at one another.
Trump hunched over table in customary red tiepublished at 20:58 British Summer Time 3 August 2023
Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from court
Trump came into the courtoom through a door that allowed him to avoid the hallways where the public might see him.
Upon entering the room, he walked to a table to the right and in front of Magistrate Judge Moxila Upadhyaya.
He's now sitting there with his legal team. His hands are folded and he's hunched down over the table. He's wearing a blue suit with his customary red tie.
His attorneys are whispering into his ear. Prosecutors are sitting at a table opposite.
The courtroom is packed, with the front rows of the courtroom taken up by staff and lawyers.
There are a handful of reporters in the room, including those on pool duty and those selected at random by a lottery earlier in the day.
US Marshals are standing at the ready around the room, clearly identifiable by their uniforms.
They've also blocked access to the hallway outside the room and cleared the courthouse's large atrium ahead of Trump's appearance.
Among those accompanying Trump is his attorney, John Lauro.
Trump enters courtroompublished at 20:54 British Summer Time 3 August 2023
Breaking
Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from court
The former president has just entered the courtroom of the US District Court in Washington DC.
Jack Smith enters courtroompublished at 20:48 British Summer Time 3 August 2023
Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from court
Department of Justice Special Counsel Jack Smith has just entered the courtroom as the hearing is about to begin.
Read more about the man taking on Trump here: Who is Jack Smith?
A reminder of the chargespublished at 20:36 British Summer Time 3 August 2023
Trump has arrived at court. There are no cameras allowed in the courtroom but we'll bring you updates as our reporters send them from inside the building.
The overarching theme of the charges that Trump is facing is that he knowingly and repeatedly lied while attempting to overturn his defeat in the 2020 election.
He is accused of four counts:
- conspiracy to defraud the US
- conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding
- obstruction of an official proceeding
- conspiracy against the rights of citizens
The first count refers to alleged attempts to obstruct the collection, counting and certification of votes.
The second and third deal with alleged attempts to obstruct the certification of electoral college votes in the US Congress on 6 January 2021, which culminated in the Capitol riot.
The fourth charge is about alleged attempts to interfere with citizens' right to vote and to have their votes counted.
You can read more about the charges and what they mean here.
In pictures: Trump's journey to DCpublished at 20:26 British Summer Time 3 August 2023
Image source, JUSTIN LANE/EPA-EFE
Image caption,
The former US president has been making his way to Washington DC to appear in court
Image source, .
Image caption,
A motorcade arrives at Donald Trump's home in Bedminster, New Jersey
Image source, JUSTIN LANE/EPA-EFE
Image caption,
Trump boarded his private plane at Newark Liberty International Airport
Image source, Reuters
Image caption,
Trump disembarks his plane in Washington DC
Trump arrives at courtpublished at 20:17 British Summer Time 3 August 2023
Bernd Debusmann Jr
Reporting from court
Trump's motorcade has just arrived at court. The hearing is slated to begin at 16:00 local time (21:00 BST).
Some people are already waiting in the courtroom where the arraignment will take place.
US Marshals have also cleared some areas of the building and are blocking hallways near the room where the former president will appear.
We'll bring you more updates shortly.