Donald Trump charged with 34 felony counts, pleads 'not guilty'

Former US president and Republican 2024 presidential nominee Donald Trump was charged with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records on Tuesday, to which he pleaded 'not guilty'.

The former president, who arrived at the Manhattan criminal court on Tuesday afternoon, surrendered before the court and was placed under arrest.

Clad in a dark blue suit and red tie, Trump, the first sitting or former US President to face criminal charges, was flanked by lawyers as he sat at the defence table.

During the arraignment, the former president heard the charges against him for the first time.

The prosecutors alleged that Trump undermined the integrity of the 2016 election through a hush-money scheme wherein he paid women who claimed they had affairs with Trump.

They added that three payments were made by Trump allies to suppress damaging stories: $30,000 to a former Trump Tower doorman who said Trump had fathered a child out of wedlock; $150,000 to a former Playboy model who said she had an affair with Trump; and $130,000 to adult film star Stormy Daniels, who also alleged an affair. Donald Trump has denied the affairs.

According to the prosecutors, Trump's former attorney and "fixer" Michael Cohen made the payment to Daniels in the days before the 2016 election. Trump disguised his reimbursement to Cohen by classifying them as legal fees.

Trump was also a part of the plan to hide negative information, including an illegal payment of $130,000 to suppress the negative information that would hurt his campaign, the charging documents said.

The prosecutors added that Trump "repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election."

Judge Juan Merchan then asked for the defendant's plea.

"Not guilty," Trump said in a clear voice inside the courtroom.

Donald Trump then left the courtroom and quickly departed the courthouse in his motorcade.