According to the plan, the former president of the United States is to appear in court at 10 p.m. Swedish time. With just hours to go, Donald Trump spoke out on his Truth Social platform.
“Now I’m going to Washington DC to be arrested for questioning a corrupt, rigged and stolen election”
Ahead of the hearings, the court building has been transformed into a fort. A large crowd of media and supporters is gathered outside.
Once in court in Washington DC, Trump will have his fingerprints taken and must provide personal information such as date of birth and the corresponding social security number before he is brought before a court hearing where an indictment will be read and he must declare himself guilty or not guilty.
In both previous court appearances this year, Trump pleaded not guilty to all counts, as he is expected to do again.
Charged on four counts
He is charged with four counts of attempting to overturn the 2020 election results by spreading lies that Biden won by cheating, culminating in the storming of the Capitol.
The E Barrett Prettyman Courthouse is just a few blocks from the Capitol and activity at the building has been high for the past 24 hours. Police with sniffer dogs and security services are working to the last detail to secure the building and surroundings.
It is still unclear when the trial will take place. The prosecution wants to see a trial soon, but Trump’s lawyers say they need time to prepare the defense.
Facts: Charged on four counts
(TT)
The four-point indictment concerns Trump’s attempt to have the results of the 2020 presidential election annulled, and the crimes are described as conspiracy, among other things.
“The purpose of the conspiracy was to overturn the legitimate results of the 2020 presidential election through the use of knowingly false allegations of election fraud,” the 45-page indictment states.
According to the indictment, Trump allegedly tried to adjust the results after the 2020 presidential election in his favor. It culminated in the storming of the Capitol congress building on January 6, 2021. But before that, Trump is said to have tried to influence, among other things, election workers and elected officials in several states.
Special prosecutor Jack Smith says the storming of the Capitol was carried out by Trump supporters driven by his lies about election fraud. Inside the building, Congress was then going to formally designate Democrat Joe Biden as the winner of the 2020 presidential election when Trump’s supporters filed in.
Several co-conspirators are named in the indictment, but not by name because they are not charged with any crimes.