Donald Trump plans to turn his arraignment into a political spectacle. Here's how.
David JacksonWASHINGTON – Donald Trump and his allies began a two-day effort Monday to make a political spectacle out of an unprecedented legal event: the arraignment of a former president.
Trump jetted from South Florida to New York City during the afternoon, starting a journey that will include his arraignment Tuesday afternoon and a speech that night back in Florida.
It is also expected to include political rhetoric, as Trump and aides plan to constantly condemn the indictment and promote his 2024 presidential candidacy during his travels to and from the courthouse.
Trump did not speak publicly Monday but did spend time on his social media platform Truth Social attacking the indictment and seeking to raise money off it. "If you are doing poorly, as so many of you are, do not send anything," he said in one post. "If you are doing well, which was made possible through the great policies of the Trump Administration, send your contribution."
The indictment:Donald Trump is the first former president to face criminal charges. What we know
Prep for the polls: See who is running for president and compare where they stand on key issues in our Voter Guide
Seedy and simple:Trump indictment: Amid seedy but simple allegations, critics decry case as politically motivated
The Trump campaign been fundraising off the indictment all along and claimed Monday it has raised more than $7 million since the news broke Thursday.
Some details are still being developed, Trump campaign aides said, but here is some of what his trip entails:
Trump flew to New York on Monday
Trump – accompanied by his Secret Service detail as well as staff members – left his Mar-a-Lago home in Palm Beach, Fla., and arrived at Trump Tower in midtown Manhattan late in the afternoon.
Television cameras from across the world were trained on Trump's plane at a South Florida airport, and video of his motorcade to the airport and his boarding of the plane were flashed across the world.
In New York, television tracked the Trump motorcade from LaGuardia airport to Trump Tower.
More:https://www.youtube.com/embed/y6k05vHKFjI
Trump to go to NY courthouse Tuesday
Trump's trip to the courthouse was expected to come sometime Tuesday morning, aides said, and details were still being worked on.
One of those details: whether Trump will appear before supporters expected to gather at the courthouse to protest the indictment. The protests have triggered security concerns, and authorities could get Trump into the courthouse via underground entrances.
Opinion:How strong is the case against Donald Trump? Here's why Alvin Bragg better get it right.
Will Trump have a perp walk?
Trump's attorneys downplayed the idea that the former president would be subject to a "perp walk," which is typically when a defendant is escorted into the courthouse accompanied by law enforcement officials for the benefit of photographers.
"Hopefully, this will be as painless and classy as possible for a situation like this," said Trump attorney Joe Tacopina, speaking on CNN's "State of the Union."
Will Trump have fingerprints and a mug shot taken?
Once inside the courthouse, Trump is expected to be treated like most defendants: He will be booked, fingerprinted, DNA-swabbed and seated for mug shots that will no doubt be flashed across the world.
The arraignment is the only legal matter specifically scheduled: 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday, when Trump is expected to plead not guilty.
Media organizations are asking to televise the proceedings. There is no resolution of that matter.
Shortly after that, Trump will depart New York for Mar-a-Lago to deliver the only currently scheduled political event: the 8:15 p.m. speech Tuesday.
Trump team presses the politics of case
Along the way, Trump and allies can be counted upon to campaign against the indictment, claiming the case that involves hush money and campaign finance laws is a politically motivated attack.
The Trump team plans to use interviews, public statements and social media posts and to focus much of its political attack on Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.
Running against the law:Donald Trump's biggest campaign foe? A string of investigations - and possible indictments
Lawyers battle:Lawyers for Donald Trump, Michael Cohen square off in fight for credibility in criminal case
Over the weekend, the Trump campaign released a "polling memo" saying Republican voters are rallying around him. The memo claimed Trump received "a significant increase over his opponents in full-field and one-on-one primary election ballot tests."
Other 2024 Republicans weigh in
Most of the Republican presidential aspirants who plan to challenge Trump also have criticized the indictment, though there is at least one exception.
Former Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson, who announced Sunday that he will seek the nomination for 2024, said Trump should exit the race while under indictment.
"I do think that’s too much of a sideshow and distraction," he told ABC's "This Week." "And he needs to be able to concentrate on his due process, and there is a presumption of innocence."
Polls show divide on Trump's strategy
The arraignment and surrounding events may be just a phase of Trump's political-legal battle: He also is under investigation in Washington, D.C., and Atlanta over the handling of classified documents, his efforts to overturn the 2020 election, and the insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021.
Early polls after the New York indictment show a divided electorate as Trump plans his political strategy.
According to an ABC News/Ipsos poll released Sunday, 88% of Democrats say Trump should have been charged, and 62% of Republicans say the former president should not have been charged.
The poll also shows that a plurality of Americans are taking the indictment seriously: 50% of Americans think the charges against Trump are serious, and 35% say they are not serious.
