Trump, a leading candidate for the 2024 Republican presidential nomination, made his plea during a brief hearing at a Washington courthouse, which had previously seen hundreds of his supporters convicted for their involvement in the January 6, 2021 attack on the US Capitol.
When magistrate judge Moxila Upadhyaya read the charges and potential maximum prison sentences from the 45-page indictment brought by special counsel Jack Smith, Trump firmly stated, "Not guilty."
Prior to his arrival at the courthouse from his Bedminster, New Jersey golf club, Trump reiterated his baseless claim that the November 2020 election, which he lost to Democrat Joe Biden, was "stolen."
At 77 years old, the billionaire businessman is already facing charges in two other criminal cases, and these new conspiracy charges could lead to further legal entanglements during next year's election campaign.
Security was tight around the E. Barrett Prettyman federal courthouse, with metal barricades blocking access and police patrolling the perimeter.
Demonstrators holding placards and curious tourists gathered outside the courthouse during the proceedings.
“Jail Trump Forever,” read one sign.
“Trump 24,” read another.
Another 52 years old demonstrator from Houston, Dave Werner said, "We wanted to see it, It’s a little bit being part of history.”
The accusations that Trump and six unnamed co-conspirators plotted to upend the 2020 election are the most serious of the cases threatening to derail his White House comeback bid.
In a post on his Truth Social site, Trump complained he was being “arrested for having challenged a corrupt, rigged and stolen election.”
“UNFAIR VENUE, UNFAIR JUDGE,” he said.
Trump, in a Truth Social post, also accused Biden, his likely 2024 election rival, of seeking to charge him with “as many crimes as can be concocted.”
“But soon, in 2024, it will be our turn,” he wrote.
During a bike ride while vacationing in Delaware, President Joe Biden was asked whether he would be following the arraignment of former President Donald Trump. His response was a curt "No."
Special counsel Jack Smith, a former war crimes prosecutor at the Hague, charged Trump with conspiracy to defraud the United States and attempting to disenfranchise voters with his false claims of winning the election.
