The cameras shuttered at the first glimpse of Donald Trump’s black SUV departing from his gated private club around midday on Monday.
Cable news networks and local television cleared their schedules to bring rolling coverage as Mr Trump’s motorcade made its way to Palm Beach International Airport, before Trump Force One departed bound for New York, where the ex-president is due to be arraigned in a Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday.
The journey from ex-president to formally accused criminal defendant has once again thrust the former president into the global spotlight he craves. The Trump Show is back.
Trump leaves Mar-a-Lago
On Monday 3 April, the former president’s motorcade departed his gated Palm Beach club Mar-a-Lago just after midday ET.
A crowd of a few hundred supporters stationed along the route to Palm Beach International Airport waved Trump 2024 flags and placards saying: “God Bless Donald Trump”.
Eric Trump was spotted filming the well-wishers from the back of a black SUV. Also accompanying Mr Trump was campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung, longtime communications aide Jason Miller, former White House aide Dan Scavino and Boris Epshteyn,the New York Times reported.
However, Mr Trump’s wife Melania did not join the entourage.
Well-wishers lining the route told the Palm Beach Times that the timing of Mr Trump’s arraignment during Holy Week was a biblical sign.
Mr Trump had claimed that his indictment would unleash “death and destruction” from the MAGA faithful, but the mood along Southern Boulevard in Palm Beach was peaceful, the Palm Beach Post reported.
Mr Trump’s Boeing 757 with his name embossed in gold letters on the side took off around 1pm ET, landing around two and a half hours later at New York’s La Guardia Airport.
Arrival in New York
Mr Trump was met on the tarmac by dozens of Secret Service agents in limousines, CBS News reported. He was then driven to Trump Towers — his high-rise apartment building in central Manhattan.
Throughout Monday, reporters, supporters and protesters had gathered on 5th Avenue in anticipation of the former president’s arrival.
While the New York Times wrote that the city of Mr Trump’s birth was “anxious” and “bracing” for his arrest, the mood on the ground told a different story.
The Independent’s Richard Hall joined the throng and wrote that only a small crowd of Mr Trump’s supporters had shown up to protest including the Naked Cowboy, who would normally be performing for tourists at Times Square.
Barricades had been set up around Trump Towers, and NYPD officers kept a close eye on proceedings. Police K9 units patrolled the area.
Mr Trump waved at the crowd as he entered Trump Towers around an hour after landing in New York.
On Monday night, Mr Trump continued his attacks on District Attorney Alvin Bragg from his penthouse apartment.
Crowds gather at the Manhattan courthouse
About four miles south of Trump Tower, journalists and spectators had already begun lining up outside Manhattan Criminal Court for one of the few, coveted spots inside the court where Mr Trump is due to appear at 2.15pm on Tuesday afternoon.
Following to an order issued by New York Supreme Court Judge Juan Merchan overnight on Monday, no videos were allowed to film Mr Trump’s arraignment. Five still photographers will be permitted to capture images when he first appears, and will then have to leave the court.
The crowd outside the Manhattan Criminal Court grew throughout Tuesday morning as hundreds of journalists, protesters and counter-protesters were divided into separate pens.
By mid-morning, reporters and camera crews far outnumbered protesters and counterdemonstrators.
Anti-Trump protesters with cowbells and whistles attempted to drown out the sounds of pro-Trump supporters with megaphones.
Disgraced Republican Congressman George Santos showed up around 9.30am and was immediately swarmed by reporters.
Marjorie Taylor Greene arrived at the court around 10.30am to hold a “peaceful protest”.
Mr Trump is expected to face 36 charges stemming from hush money payments he made to the adult actress Stormy Daniels during his election campaign in 2016.
Trump leaves Trump Tower and heads to court for arraignment
Former President Donald Trump leaves Trump Tower in New York on Tuesday, 4 April 2023. Mr Trump surrendered in Manhattan to face criminal charges stemming from 2016 hush money payments.
Trump waves as he arrives at the Manhattan Criminal Court
Trump gave his customary salute as he arrived at Manhattan Criminal Court to be arraigned on hush money payments. Mr Trump was placed under arrest and fingerprinted before walking into court with security staff to face the judge in the case and formally enter his not guilty plea.
Stony-faced Trump walks into New York courtroom
The former president looked grim-faced as he walked into the courtroom at the Manhattan Criminal Court.
Trump sits with his legal team at defence table inside courtroom
Mr Trump appeared in a New York City courtroom to plead not guilty to 34 counts of falsifying business records related to hush money payments in the run-up to the 2016 presidential election.
The former president appeared sombre as he sat next to his lawyers.
Trump leaves court following arraignment
The former president refused to coment as he left Manhattan Criminal Court after a 45 minute arraignment hearing as a criminal defendant. Mr Trump was driven to LaGuardia Airport in Queens to take his private jet back to Palm Beach, Florida.
Trump arrives back in Florida ahead of Mar-a-Lago speech
Former US President Donald Trump’s plane taxis after landing at Palm Beach International Airport in West Palm Beach, Florida. Mr Trump arrived back in Florida after being arraigned in New York City on 34 felony charges and headed straight to his Mar-a-Lago estate to speak about the chrges he now faces.
Trump rails against DA and judge in primetime address
Donald Trump railed against the Manhattan DA and the judge as he gave a primetime TV address on Tuesday night.
“The criminal is the district attorney because he illegally leaked massive amounts of grand jury information,” he said to loud applause.
“For which he should be prosecuted, or at a minimum he should resign.”
He also targeted Mr Bragg’s wife and the “Trump hating-judge with a Trump-hating wife and family whose daughter work for Kamala Harris”. Mr Trump’s words came despite the fact that Judge Merchan warned him to stop making threatening posts on social media that could inflame tensions or incite violence.
