<p>Former United States president Donald Trump addressed a press conference on Tuesday (April 4) following his arraignment in the hush money case. Speaking at the Mar-a-Lago, his beachfront mansion in southern Florida, Trump, 76, said he never thought anything like this could happen in America. "The only crime that I've committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it... It's an insult to our country," he told an audience of several hundred donors, political allies and other supporters.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/how-american-lawmakers-reacted-to-donald-trumps-arraignment-579213">How American lawmakers reacted to Donald Trump's arraignment?</a></strong></p>

<p>Hitting out at current President Joe Biden and his administration, Trump said that America was going to hell, and the world was already laughing at the country for so many reasons.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"If we took five worst presidents and they wouldn't have near destruction to the country which Joe Biden and administration have done. We are a failing nation," Trump added.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The former president also said that "radical left" prosecutors across the country were out to get him "at any cost."</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/would-not-allow-donald-trump-to-get-away-with-lawbreaking-manhattan-da-579208">Would not allow Donald Trump to get away with lawbreaking: Manhattan DA</a></strong></p>

<p>Earlier on Tuesday, Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records stemming from three pre-election hush-money cases. The twice-impeached Republican is the first sitting or former American president to be criminally indicted.</p>

<p>A statement released alongside the indictment included details of hush money payments to Daniels, Playboy model Karen McDougal and a former Trump Tower doorman claiming to have a story about a child the former president had out of wedlock.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO WATCH | Donald Trump pleads not guilty to 34 felony counts in hush money case</strong></p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/donald-trump-pleads-not-guilty-to-34-felony-counts-in-hush-money-case-579206/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>Manhattan prosecutors said that Trump "repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election."</p>

<p>After the dramatic court hearing&nbsp;in New York, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg told reporters that he would not allow Trump to get away with lawbreaking. &nbsp;"These are felony crimes in New York State. No matter who you are we cannot and will not normalise serious criminal conduct," Bragg said, adding that everyone stands equal before the law.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


Former United States president Donald Trump addressed a press conference on Tuesday (April 4) following his arraignment in the hush money case. Speaking at the Mar-a-Lago, his beachfront mansion in southern Florida, Trump, 76, said he never thought anything like this could happen in America.

Former United States president Donald Trump addressed a press conference on Tuesday (April 4) following his arraignment in the hush money case. Speaking at the Mar-a-Lago, his beachfront mansion in southern Florida, Trump, 76, said he never thought anything like this could happen in America. "The only crime that I've committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it... It's an insult to our country," he told an audience of several hundred donors, political allies and other supporters. ALSO READ | How American lawmakers reacted to Donald Trump's arraignment? Hitting out at current President Joe Biden and his administration, Trump said that America was going to hell, and the world was already laughing at the country for so many reasons. "If we took five worst presidents and they wouldn't have near destruction to the country which Joe Biden and administration have done. We are a failing nation," Trump added. The former president also said that "radical left" prosecutors across the country were out to get him "at any cost." ALSO READ | Would not allow Donald Trump to get away with lawbreaking: Manhattan DA Earlier on Tuesday, Trump pleaded not guilty to 34 felony counts of falsifying business records stemming from three pre-election hush-money cases. The twice-impeached Republican is the first sitting or former American president to be criminally indicted. A statement released alongside the indictment included details of hush money payments to Daniels, Playboy model Karen McDougal and a former Trump Tower doorman claiming to have a story about a child the former president had out of wedlock. ALSO WATCH | Donald Trump pleads not guilty to 34 felony counts in hush money case × Manhattan prosecutors said that Trump "repeatedly and fraudulently falsified New York business records to conceal criminal conduct that hid damaging information from the voting public during the 2016 presidential election." After the dramatic court hearing in New York, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg told reporters that he would not allow Trump to get away with lawbreaking. "These are felony crimes in New York State. No matter who you are we cannot and will not normalise serious criminal conduct," Bragg said, adding that everyone stands equal before the law. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Never thought this could happen in America: Donald Trump's first remarks following arraignment

<p>A Reuters report says that a grand jury is hearing evidence in New York over former president Donald Trump's role in hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign. Possible criminal charges against the former president by the Manhattan district attorney's office might follow.</p>

<p>Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker has testified on the matter before the grand jury. The New York Times reported that Pecker was seen entering the lower Manhattan building where the grand jury is empaneled.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The publisher bought the rights to unflattering stories about Trump, but never published them, in a bid to help Trump.</p>

<p>The developments indicate that the district attorney, Alvin Bragg, is closer to a decision on whether to charge Trump.</p>

<p>Bragg's office declined to comment on the Times report.</p>

<p>Also Read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/donald-trump-says-joe-biden-brought-us-to-the-brink-of-world-war-iii-557070">Donald Trump says Joe Biden 'brought us to the brink of World War III'</a></p>

<p>Stormy Daniels says that she had an affair with Trump who gave her $130,000 before the 2016 presidential election to not discuss the encounter. However, Trump has maintained that nothing of the sort ever happened and in 2018 told reporters he knows nothing about any payment being made to her.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false">
<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-trump-hush-money-case-goes-to-grand-jury-557455/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Trump’s former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, was sentenced to three years in prison in New York for arranging the payments to Daniels and a former Playboy model Karen McDougal. The latter said she had an affair with Trump before he took office.</p>

<p>McDougal reportedly sold her story for $150,000 to American Media Inc (AMI), but it was never published. Apparently, the practice known as "catch and kill" was deployed in the matter, under which a potentially damaging article is taken hold of to stop it from being published.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


A Reuters report says that a grand jury is hearing evidence in New York over former president Donald Trump's role in hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign.

A Reuters report says that a grand jury is hearing evidence in New York over former president Donald Trump's role in hush money payments to porn star Stormy Daniels during his 2016 presidential campaign. Possible criminal charges against the former president by the Manhattan district attorney's office might follow. Former National Enquirer publisher David Pecker has testified on the matter before the grand jury. The New York Times reported that Pecker was seen entering the lower Manhattan building where the grand jury is empaneled. The publisher bought the rights to unflattering stories about Trump, but never published them, in a bid to help Trump. The developments indicate that the district attorney, Alvin Bragg, is closer to a decision on whether to charge Trump. Bragg's office declined to comment on the Times report. Also Read | Donald Trump says Joe Biden 'brought us to the brink of World War III' Stormy Daniels says that she had an affair with Trump who gave her $130,000 before the 2016 presidential election to not discuss the encounter. However, Trump has maintained that nothing of the sort ever happened and in 2018 told reporters he knows nothing about any payment being made to her. × Trump’s former personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, was sentenced to three years in prison in New York for arranging the payments to Daniels and a former Playboy model Karen McDougal. The latter said she had an affair with Trump before he took office. McDougal reportedly sold her story for $150,000 to American Media Inc (AMI), but it was never published. Apparently, the practice known as "catch and kill" was deployed in the matter, under which a potentially damaging article is taken hold of to stop it from being published. (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Donald Trump hush money case involving porn star Stormy Daniels goes to grand jury

hush-payments-to-stormy-daniels

Hush Payments To Stormy Daniels, News on Hush Payments To Stormy Daniels, stories on Hush Payments To Stormy Daniels, articles on Hush Payments To Stormy Daniels, Hush Payments To Stormy Daniels stories at Wion, Hush Payments To Stormy Daniels news, Hush Payments To Stormy Daniels latest news

hush payments-to-stormy-daniels

Never thought this could happen in America: Donald Trump's first remarks following arraignment

Donald Trump hush money case involving porn star Stormy Daniels goes to grand jury