Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records.
The former US president entered the plea surrounded by his legal team as he appeared before Judge Juan Merchan at Manhattan Criminal Courthouse today.
The grand jury indictment, which is the first against a former president, was unsealed before Judge Juan Merchan.
The charges stem from a hush money payment to a porn actor during Trump’s 2016 campaign.
A stony-faced Mr Trump entered the courtroom shortly before 2.30pm local time without saying anything.
Earlier, he arrived at court in an eight-car motorcade that took him from Trump Tower in Midtown Manhattan through the main north-south road on the east side of the city, past landmarks such as the United Nations.
Along the way, the ex-president posted on his social media platform: “Heading to Lower Manhattan, the Courthouse. Seems so SURREAL — WOW, they are going to ARREST ME. Can’t believe this is happening in America. MAGA!”
Trump, who was impeached twice by the US House but was never convicted in the US Senate, is the first former president to face criminal charges.
Trump is scheduled to return to his Palm Beach, Florida, home, Mar-a-Lago, on Tuesday evening to give remarks.
A conviction would not prevent Mr Trump from running for or winning the presidency in 2024.
The charges against him do not require that bail be set.
The investigation is scrutinising six-figure payments made to porn actor Stormy Daniels and former Playboy model Karen McDougal.
Both say they had sexual encounters with the married Mr Trump years before he got into politics.
Trump denies having sexual liaisons with either woman and has denied any wrongdoing involving payments.
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