Former US President Donald Trump is set to face formal charges of plotting to overturn his 2020 election defeat in a court hearing scheduled for Thursday. On the eve of the arraignment, he criticized the case as proof of corruption and failure under President Joe Biden’s administration.
Security measures have been heightened in Washington DC, with metal barriers placed outside the federal courthouse where the charges will be read and around the US Capitol buildings where Trump supporters rioted in January 2021.
The Secret Service issued a statement warning of “short-term traffic implications” in central Washington DC.
Protection for judges involved in the case, including District Judge Tanya Chutkan, has been increased. Mr. Trump, expected to plead not guilty, will appear in person at the hearing, scheduled for 16:00 EDT (20:00 BST).
He is currently facing four counts, including conspiracy to defraud the US and conspiracy against the rights of citizens, with legal analysts suggesting that the charges are connected to his alleged efforts to subvert the vote in urban areas with large African-American populations.
Mr. Trump’s legal team is planning to argue that he is protected by the right to free speech under the First Amendment of the US Constitution.
Congressional Republicans have rallied around him, claiming that the latest indictment shows the US becoming a “banana republic” and alleging election interference.
Meanwhile, Trump’s support remains strong despite his legal woes. As he faces the court, the nation watches closely, knowing that these charges are the most serious he has faced yet.
Source: BBC
