Donald Trump rages 'US is going to hell' in ranting speech after court showdown
Donald Trump has raged 'there is no crime and it should never have been brought' in his first public address after being charged with dozens of offences.
The former US President was earlier pictured in court in a historic first as the former President pleaded not guilty to 34 charges.
The indictment against Trump has been unsealed and he was charged with 34 counts of falsifying business records in the first degree.
Trump was arrested after surrendering himself to court on Tuesday. He looked defiant as he left Trump Tower and again a few minutes later when he arrived at court.
The ex-President raised a pumped fist and stared straight at the waiting cameras, then minutes later waved outside the court.
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He later boarded a flight back to his home in Florida before making a televised address following the arrest at about 1.30am UK-time.
Donald Trump faces dozens of charges (AFP via Getty Images)During his speech he said: "I never thought that anything like this could happen in America.
"The only crime that I have committed is to fearlessly defend our nation from those who seek to destroy it."
He said "our country is going to hell" and launched attacks on the judge in the case.
He was defiant in his speech, ranting about - among other things - his two impeachment trials during his presidency.
He went on to call the New York indictment the latest in an "onslaught of fraudulent investigations."
"This fake case was brought only to interfere with the upcoming 2024 election and it should be dropped immediately," Trump said.
In a social media post from his plane on his flight home from New York, former President Donald Trump said that Tuesday's court hearing "was shocking to many in that they had no `surprises,' and therefore, no case. Virtually every legal pundit has said that there is no case here. There was nothing done illegally!"
Trump was arrested after surrendering himself to court on Tuesday (AFP via Getty Images)In an unprecedented case, Mr Trump faces charges including at least one felony offence related to hush money payments to women during his 2016 campaign.
At the centre of the case is porn star Ms Daniels, who it is claimed received a $130,000 (£105,000) payment from Mr Trump's lawyers in 2016, in exchange for her silence over an affair a decade earlier
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Earlier on Tuesday Mr Trump was only seen briefly outside the district attorney’s office, where he surrendered to authorities and was booked and fingerprinted behind closed doors.
His mugshot was not taken, according to two law enforcement officials who could not publicly discuss details of the process and spoke on condition of anonymity.
As the former president entered the courtroom, he briefly looked at a huddle of news cameras but did not stop to speak to reporters.
Former President Donald Trump leaves Trump Tower in New York (Bryan Woolston/AP/REX/Shutterstock)Inside the courtroom, Mr Trump sat at the defence table with his hands in his lap and his lawyers at his side.
He looked right at photojournalists who were briefly allowed into the courtroom as they snapped his photo. During the rest of the proceeding, he stayed still with his hands together and looked straight ahead.
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Mr Trump only spoke briefly in court, telling the judge he was pleading “not guilty” and had been advised of his rights. The judge warned Mr Trump that he could be removed from the courtroom if he was disruptive. Mr Trump made no comment when he left court just under an hour later.
Mr Trump’s lawyer Todd Blanche said during the hearing that Mr Trump is “absolutely frustrated, upset and believes that there is a great injustice happening” in the courtroom.
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