by Madeleine Hubbard and Ben Whedon
Former President Donald Trump on Thursday pleaded “not guilty” to all criminal charges stemming from special counsel Jack Smith’s indictment related to the 2020 presidential election and Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot.
Special counsel Jack Smith charged Trump on Tuesday with conspiracy to defraud the U.S. government, threatening constitutional rights, conspiring to obstruct an official proceeding, and obstruction of an official proceeding.
Trump attorney Alina Habba, speaking outside the courthouse, highlighted the seemingly consistent timing of Trump’s myriad indictments, which followed legal developments disadvantageous to the Biden administration.
“This is election interference at its finest, against the leading candidate right now for president,” she said. “President Trump is under siege.” She added that the former president and his legal team would continue to “fight not for him but for the American people.”
The judge set Trump’s next hearing for Aug. 28.
Barricades surrounded the E. Barrett Prettyman Courthouse ahead of Trump’s arraignment and law enforcement was on high alert during the arraignment, according to CNBC.
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Madeleine Hubbard joined Just the News as a fast file reporter after working as an editor at Breitbart News. Ben Whedon joined the Just the News team in March of 2022 after previously working as an editor and national security reporter for Breitbart News.
