Trump arraignment: Private plane, agents, protests expected on journey
- Published
Donald Trump waves as he arrives at Trump Tower
Donald Trump is hunkering down in New York City ahead of his Tuesday court appearance, after a journey from Florida that drew blanket coverage from US news channels.
He faces unspecified charges in connection with a payment his lawyer made to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election.
The trip began earlier on Monday with a two-and-a-half-hour flight aboard his private plane from Palm Beach, as supporters cheered him on.
He faced a mixed reception from the crowd as he walked into Trump Tower in Manhattan.
Here's a more detailed guide on how each leg of his journey played out.
Step one - from beachfront residence to airport
Crowds wave support for Trump as he begins his journey
The former president, a New York native, currently resides at Mar-a-Lago, his sprawling beachfront residence and members-only club in Palm Beach, Florida.
He left home around 12:20 local time (17:20 BST) and travelled in a motorcade to Palm Beach International Airport.
There has been a small number of vocal supporters outside his Florida home since the indictment was announced, and they could be heard cheering him on during the journey.
The airport, which is 2.5 miles (4km) - or about a 15-minute drive - from Mar-a-Lago, has been used many times by Mr Trump since his move to the state,
Mr Trump was accompanied by US Secret Service agents. One official who spoke on condition of anonymity told the Washington Post that "dozens and dozens" of agents would be required to ensure the trip is secure.
Step two - a personal plane to New York
The Trump team take off from West Palm Beach
Mr Trump flew from Palm Beach to New York's LaGuardia Airport on his private plane.
The aircraft, which has been dubbed Trump Force One, is a Boeing 757 that he purchased for a reported $100m (£80m) in 2011.
It has been used as a frequent backdrop for his campaign rallies and was recently refurbished and given a fresh paint job - Trump's name features in large gold lettering.
According to the New York Times' Maggie Haberman, several Trump aides - including senior adviser Jason Miller, spokesman Steven Cheung and campaign strategist Susie Wiles - travelled with him.
Mr Trump's son, Eric, also aboard the flight, posted photos on social media noting the wall-to-wall TV coverage of his father's movements.
The plane took off at 13:00 and landed just before 15:30. Its travel path in real-time was the most-tracked flight worldwide, according to the FlightRadar website.
The flight's destination, LaGuardia, is in the Queens borough of the city, which is on the other side of the East River from Manhattan.
The former president, as it happens, has less than positive feelings about LaGuardia. Or at least he did before a multi-billion dollar renovation was completed last year.
"You land at LaGuardia… and you walk into a filthy terminal… and you have broken terrazzo floors and that's all you have," he said of the airport in 2015.
Step three - from LaGuardia to Trump Tower
A media scrum awaits outside Trump Tower
From LaGuardia, Mr Trump headed to Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan in another motorcade. It's about a 40-minute drive through Queens, over the East River and then into Manhattan.
Mr Trump's personal helicopter was reportedly available to fly him from LaGuardia to Manhattan, but he opted to make the journey by road.
Trump Tower was the Queens-born businessman's primary residence from the 1980s until his permanent move to Florida was made official in late 2019. He attributed the move to being "treated very badly by the political leaders of both the city and state".
At Trump Tower, he reportedly met his legal team before spending the night in his gilded penthouse that spans the top three floors of the skyscraper.
A lawsuit filed last year by New York's top prosecutor alleged that Mr Trump repeatedly misrepresented the size of his apartment to multiply its value.
Step four - from Trump Tower to court
The former president's journey from Trump Tower to the Manhattan Criminal Courts Building will be a major security operation involving large numbers of police and Secret Service agents.
The journey itself is about a 30-minute drive south through Manhattan - but that time could be much less if there's a full police escort.
It's not clear if Mr Trump will make remarks to the media before he leaves Trump Tower or when he arrives outside court. Regardless, there will be a huge number of cameras and reporters waiting for him there.
New York police officers will secure the area surrounding the building and nearby roads will be closed off. Street parking will also be suspended for some time.
Mr Trump's path in and out of the building has reportedly been carefully mapped by Secret Service agents who visited the courthouse on Friday to assess the various routes.
Agents and officers will surround him as he enters and leaves in order to separate him from approaching members of the public, an anonymous law enforcement official told the Washington Post.
A coalition of media outlets has requested the judge to allow photo and video coverage of the arraignment, but Mr Trump's attorneys have said they oppose the move.
With additional reporting by Sam Cabral
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