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Get the Post’s latest updates of Donald Trump’s arraignment in New York City as the former president faces a judge Tuesday for his unprecedented criminal indictment.

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New York Post Front Page: 'Trumped Up'

By Post Staff Report
The front cover of the New York Post features Donald Trump's appearance at a New York City courthouse.
The front cover of the New York Post features Donald Trump's appearance at a New York City courthouse.

Former Manhattan DA Cy Vance urges 'confidence in Bragg' after Trump indictment

By Katherine Donlevy

Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg's predecessor firmly stood behind him Tuesday after the office brought charges down against Donald Trump.

"We need to have confidence in Bragg," Cy Vance told CNN's Jake Tapper.

The former New York prosecutor also took the opportunity to chastise 76-year-old Trump for launching attacks against Bragg in an attempt to minimize the case against him.

During a speech to the press and his supporters Tuesday, Trump accused Bragg of using the criminal charges to advance a political agenda that would benefit liberal Democrats.

The former president called Bragg a "Trump-hater" and claimed he was illegally sharing information about the case.

Former Manhattan DA Cy Vance talks Trump idictment on CNN
Former Manhattan DA Cy Vance urges "confidence" in successor Alvin Bragg's case against Donald Trump. CNN

"I think what he is saying is very, very ill-advised and repugnant and wrong. I think there was no place in this case for him to make the ad hominem and personal account personal attacks against the judge, the DA or family members," Vance said.

Vance theorized the statements could land Trump in hot water for violating the Obstruction of Government and Administration statute, which "is essentially impairing the operation of the functioning of government by threat or intimidation."

"I think the president is drawing very close to the line where he could be at risk of being charged with those offenses, and the significance of that if that were to happen in a superseding indictment, is it could turn a perception perceptually weak indictment on technical violations of election law into something a jury would understand and be much more concerned about and elevate the strength of the overall indictment against the president. So if I were his lawyers, I would tell him, 'knock it off,'" Vance said.

Trump blasts Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg as 'the criminal'

By Caitlin Doornbos , Steven Nelson and Selim Algar

PALM BEACH, Fla. — Former President Donald Trump ranted against his unprecedented arrest and arraignment Tuesday night, telling supporters at Mar-a-Lago that the real “criminal” is Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

“The only crime that I’ve committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it,” the 76-year-old said hours after pleading not guilty to 34 felony charges of falsifying business records in connection with hush-money payments made ahead of the 2016 presidential election to two women alleging extramarital affairs with him.

Trump claims, "The only crime that I've committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it."
"The only crime that I've committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it," Trump said. Getty Images

“The criminal is the district attorney because he illegally leaked massive amounts of grand jury information, for which he should be prosecuted — or at a minimum, he should resign,” Trump added, referring to details of his indictment being reported ahead of his initial hearing.

“[Bragg] campaigned on the fact that he would ‘get’ President Trump — ‘I’m gonna get him, I’m gonna get him’ — this is a guy campaigning… this, before he knew anything about me,” the 45th president told hundreds of fans gathered in his Palm Beach club’s ballroom.

The current front-runner for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination also slammed the “Trump-hating judge” presiding over his case, Juan Manuel Merchan, and prosecutors leading other inquiries into his conduct — but focused his ire on Bragg in his 25-minute speech.

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Jared Kushner, Melania and Ivanka Trump absent from Trump's Mar-a-Lago speech

By Katherine Donlevy
  • Former President Donald Trump speaks at his Mar-a-Lago estate Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in Palm Beach, Fla., after being arraigned earlier in the day in New York City. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
    Former President Donald Trump speaks at his Mar-a-Lago estate Tuesday after being arrested in NYC earlier in the day.
  • Donald Trump Jr., center left, arrives with his fiance, Kimberly Guilfoyle.
    Donald Trump Jr., center left, arrives with his fiancee, Kimberly Guilfoyle.
  • Eric Trump
    Eric Trump and his wife Lara Trump attend the speech.
  • Tiffany Trump and her husband Michael Boulos
    Tiffany Trump and her husband Michael Boulos attend the speech.

Donald Trump’s wife Melania and his high-powered daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner were notably absent from the former president’s post-indictment speech Tuesday.

It is unclear why Melania was missing from what Trump called a “historic” press conference.

However, his eldest daughter Ivanka and her husband, who were his top White House advisers, were in Wyoming to celebrate Passover — a trip they've made in past years — as the Jewish holiday begins Wednesay, a source told The Post.

The former first daughter, who saw her father in person last week, and Kushner are "supporting him as family members in private," the person familiar with their whereabouts said.

The couple has distanced themselves from Trump's current White House campaign.

Kushner and Melania and Ivanka Trump were not mentioned in the 2024 frontrunner's family thank you speech — he specifically mentioned his sons Donald and Eric for doing a “great job” maneuvering the tough investigations from multiple city and state investigations.

He even added that Barron, his 17-year-old son with Melania who is normally far from the spotlight, will one day join their ranks.

The rest of the family walked into the conference room ahead of Trump’s entrance.

Donald Trump Jr. and his fiancee, Kimberly Guilfoyle, as well as Eric Trump and his wife Lara were spotted waving to audience members before taking their seats.

Tiffany Trump and husband Michael Boulos also attended the event, walking into the room alongside Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz.

Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, former Arizona gubernatorial candidate Kari Lake and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell were among other notable supporters.

Appeals court orders Stormy Daniels pay Trump $122K in legal fees hours after his arraignment

By Victor Nava
Stormy Daniels, the porn star who claims to have slept with US President Donald Trump over a decade ago, talks with a journalist during an interview at the Berlin erotic fair "Venus" in Berlin on October 11, 2018. (Photo by Ralf Hirschberger / dpa / AFP) / Germany OUT        (Photo credit should read RALF HIRSCHBERGER/DPA/AFP via Getty Images)
Stormy Daniels has vowed to not give Trump “a penny” despite multiple court orders demanding that she pay his legal fees. DPA/AFP via Getty Images

Former President Donald Trump secured a legal victory against Stormy Daniels hours after his arraignment in a Manhattan courtroom on Tuesday in connection to a “hush money” payment made to the porn star during the 2016 presidential campaign.

The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals on Tuesday ordered Daniels to pay Trump $121,972 in legal fees stemming from a 2018 defamation lawsuit that she filed against him that was later dismissed.

“Alvin Bragg shut down New York City, brought in 38,000 NYPD officers, and will spend an estimated $200,000,000 of NYC funds, for a totally legal $130,000 NDA. On top of all that, the 9th Circuit Court just awarded me $122,000 — over the $500,000 already awarded, from Stormy ‘Horseface’ Daniels!” Trump wrote in a Truth Social post on Tuesday. 

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Trump blames 'worst president' Biden for allowing Russia's Ukraine war and US becoming 'a nation in decline'

By Katherine Donlevy

Donald Trump said the United States is a "nation in decline" thanks to the leadership of President Biden.

"Right now, the USA is a mess," Trump, 76, said, listing off the crashing economy, inflation, Russia colluding with China and Vladimir Putin's war in Ukraine, which he claimed he could have prevented if he were at the country's helm.

"If I were your president, that would never have happened, nor would Russia be attacking Ukraine. And all of those lives will be saved. All of those beautiful cities would be standing."

Trump slammed President Biden during his primetime speech.
Trump slammed President Biden during his primetime speech. REUTERS

The former president said a crashing currency would be America's greatest defeat in 200 years, which would knock the country off its pedestal as a great international power.

The multiple tragedies, Trump claims, can be squarely blamed on President Biden.

"If you took the five worst presidents in the history of the United States and added them up, they would not have done near the destruction to our country as Joe Biden and the Biden administration have done," he said.

"Incredibly, we are now and failing nation. We are a nation in decline."

'Trump-hating' DA Bragg illegally pursuing criminal case, former president alleges

By Katherine Donlevy

Donald Trump slammed Manhattan prosecutor Alvin Bragg as a liberal strategist who is committing illegal acts in an effort to further a political agenda.

"The criminal is the district attorney because he illegally leaked massive amounts of grand jury information, for which he should be prosecuted, or at a minimum, he should resign," Trump said during his Mar-a-Lago speech Tuesday.

The former president, 76, accused Bragg of spilling information about the case to Yahoo! News the day before Trump was officially hit with 34 felony counts of falsification of business records.

Former President Donald Trump speaks at his Mar-a-Lago estate hours after being arraigned in New York City, Tuesday, April 4, 2023, in Palm Beach, Fla. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Trump blasted Manhattan DA Bragg after his indictment Tuesday. AP
Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg charged Trump with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records in the first degree.
Bragg charged Trump with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

Trump -- who called for the attorney to indict himself -- said Bragg was ignoring rising crime in his own city to pursue a lengthy investigation and criminal case that aims at quelling Trump's fanbase.

Trump also took aim at Bragg's wife, Jamila Ponton Bragg, who has publicly criticized the former president.

"Alvin Bragg's wife confirmed a report that claimed her husband has Trump nailed on felonies. She has since locked down her Twitter account," Trump said, adding that the entire family is out to get him.

"I have a Trump-hating judge, with a Trump-hating wife and family whose daughter worked for Kamala Harris, and now receives money from the Biden-Harris campaign, and a lot of it."

New York AG Letitia James' investigation is putting Trump family 'through hell', ex-president says

By Katherine Donlevy
Former U.S. President Donald Trump delivers remarks on the day of his court appearance in New York after being indicted by a Manhattan grand jury following a probe into hush money paid to porn star Stormy Daniels, in Palm Beach, Florida, U.S., April 4, 2023. REUTERS/Marco Bello
"This is a persecution not an investigation," Trump said of AG James' probe. REUTERS

Attorney General Letitia James' investigation into the Trump Organization has caused the former first family utter turmoil, Donald Trump said Tuesday.

The 76-year-old former president said that James' probe -- which claims he inflated company assets to get better terms on loans and on insurance -- was another attempt for Democrats to derail his return to the Oval Office.

"She's suing me over banks and wanting to fraud when she should be focused on violent crime that's driving people out of the state," Trump said.

"This is a persecution not an investigation. She's put our family through hell. It's caused hundreds of millions of dollars to defend. But our heads are held very, very high. They want to settle the case but I want no party," he added.

Trump said his sons -- Donald Jr., 45, and Eric, 39 -- have done a "great job" ignoring the insults hurled at their father.

He added that his youngest son, 17-year-old Barron, will one day join the tight-knit family on their political streak.

"Barron will be great someday. He's tall and smart," Trump said. "I have a great family, and they've done a fantastic job and we appreciate it."

Photos: Trump family, Marjorie Taylor Greene attend former president's speech at Mar-a-Lago

By Post Staff
Donald Trump Jr., center left, arrives with his fiance, Kimberly Guilfoyle.
Donald Trump Jr., center left, arrives with his fiancee, Kimberly Guilfoyle. AP
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., arrives before former President Donald Trump speaks.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Ga., arrives before former President Donald Trump speaks. AP
Eric Trump
Eric Trump and his wife Lara Trump attend the speech. AFP via Getty Images
Tiffany Trump and her husband Michael Boulos
Tiffany Trump and her husband Michael Boulos attend the speech. AFP via Getty Images
Kari Lake, Republican nominee in the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial election greets guests.
Kari Lake, Republican nominee in the 2022 Arizona gubernatorial election greets guests. Getty Images
Trump defended his innocence during his Mar-a-Lago speech
Trump defended his innocence during his Mar-a-Lago speech. AP

Trump boasts that even non-supporters say indictment was 'not right thing to do', is 'insult to our country'

By Katherine Donlevy
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - APRIL 04:  Former U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during an event at Mar-a-Lago April 4, 2023 in West Palm Beach, Florida. Earlier in the day, Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts stemming from hush money payments in 2016 to two women, becoming the first  former U.S. president in history to be charged with a criminal offense. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Former President Trump touts his innocence Tuesday night after pleading not guilty to Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg's 34-count indictment. Getty Images

Donald Trump defended his innocence during his Mar-a-Lago speech Tuesday by boasting even those who don't support him find his indictment legally unsound.

"As it turns out, virtually everybody that has looked at this case, including RINOs and even hardcore Democrats, say there is no crime and that it should never have been brought," Trump said, referencing the "Republicans In Name Only."

"Even people that aren't big fans have said it. They said, 'This is not the right thing to do.' It's an insult to our country as the world is already laughing at us."

Several of Trump's biggest critics slammed Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg’s case against the 45th president.

John Bolton, Trump’s former national security adviser, said the case was "weak" and was in danger of being quickly dismissed.

Meanwhile, Republican Sen. Mitt Romney issued a statement saying: “I believe President Trump’s character and conduct make him unfit for office.”

“Even so, I believe the New York prosecutor has stretched to reach felony criminal charges in order to fit a political agenda,” he added.

Trump says his only crime is 'fearlessly defending our nation from those who seek to destroy it' in post-indictment speech

By Katherine Donlevy

Donald Trump kicked off his "historic" address Tuesday by proclaiming his innocence.

After walking out to "God Bless the USA," Trump, 76, said he "never thought anything like this could happen in America."

"The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it," the former president said.

Trump accused the Democratic party of using his 34-felony indictment as part of a scheme to push him out of power.

Former US president Donald Trump speaks during a press conference following his court appearance
Former President Donald Trump speaks during a press conference at Mar-a-Lago Tuesday night after his arrest in Manhattan. AFP via Getty Images
Trump walked out to "God Bless the USA."
Trump walked out to "God Bless the USA." AFP via Getty Images
Donald Trump speaks during an event at Mar-a-Lago.
Donald Trump speaks during an event at Mar-a-Lago Getty Images
Trump arriving at Mar-a-Lago for the speech.
Trump arriving at Mar-a-Lago for the speech. AP

"From the beginning to Democrats, spider in my campaign remember that they attacked me with an onslaught of fraudulent investigations. Russia, Russia, Russia, Ukraine, Ukraine, Ukraine, impeachment hoax No. 1, impeachment hoax No. 2, the illegal and unconstitutional raid on Mar--Lago right here," Trump said, with the latter drawing a round of boos from the audience.

The businessman compared his criminal case to Hunter Biden's laptop scandal, which is under a lengthy investigation but has not been brought to prosecution.

The press, Trump claimed, hid the story to help sway the 2020 election in Joe Biden's favor.

"It would have been in our favor. That my favorite, our favorite because our country is going to hell," he said.

Watch Trump give 'historic' address at Mar-a-Lago after pleading not guilty to 34-count indictment

By Katherine Donlevy
Trump speaks during a press conference following his court appearance.
Trump speaks during a press conference following his court appearance. AFP via Getty Images
Trump speaks to the crowd at Mar-a-Lago.
Trump speaks to the crowd at Mar-a-Lago. AFP via Getty Images
Eric Trump, son of former US President Donald Trump, and his wife Lara Trump attend former US president Donald Trump's press conference
Eric Trump and his wife Lara Trump attend former US President Donald Trump's press conference. AFP via Getty Images

Donald Trump kicked off remarks for what he called a "historic" address at his Mar-a-Lago home Tuesday evening, just hours after leaving Manhattan court.

The press conference was slated to start at 8:15 p.m., four hours after he pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts tied to falsifying business records and alleging that he orchestrated a scheme to “influence the 2016 presidential election” and continued to break the law after taking office.

Trump gives his remarks in Florida.
Trump gives his remarks in Florida.
Trump arrives to speak.
Trump arrives to speak at Mar-a-Lago. AFP via Getty Images
 Trump arrives to speak.
Trump arrives to speak. AFP via Getty Images

Trump, 76, pleaded not guilty to the charges brought by Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg in Manhattan Supreme Court, marking the first time a current or former US president has been indicted and arraigned for a crime.

If convicted, he is likely to face far less than the 136-year maximum sentence. Falsifying business records is a misdemeanor in New York, but can be upgraded to a felony if the action is done to hide other crimes.

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