Donald Trump has pleaded not guilty to attempting to overturn the results of his 2020 presidential election loss, a charge that accusers say was part of a brazen and ultimately failed attempt to block the peaceful transfer of presidential power. The former US president appeared before a magistrate judge in Washington’s federal courthouse two days after being indicted on four felony counts by Justice Department special counsel Jack Smith. Trump stood accused of trying to subvert the will of voters and obstruct the certification of Democrat Joe Biden’s victory before January 6, 2021, when a mob of supporters stormed the US Capitol in a violent clash with law enforcement.
Trump’s court appearance was met with stern expressions and minimal responses, as he sat beside his lawyer and occasionally glanced around the courtroom. He thanked the judge after entering his plea and later described the case as a “persecution” designed to hurt his 2024 presidential campaign. “We can’t let this happen in America,” he said outside the court. Trump’s legal team has characterized the case as an attack on his right to free speech, while he has claimed without evidence that Smith’s team is trying to interfere with the 2024 presidential election.
Donald Trump. (Via Donald Trump./Twitter)
The indictment from Smith charges Trump with four felony counts related to his efforts to undo his presidential election loss, including conspiracy to defraud the US government and conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding. The charges could lead to a prison sentence of several years in the event of a conviction. The case is part of an ongoing set of escalating legal troubles for the ex-president, coming nearly two months after Trump pleaded not guilty to dozens of federal felony counts accusing him of hoarding classified documents and thwarting government efforts to retrieve them.
