By — Dan Cooney Dan Cooney Leave your feedback Share Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/see-sketches-from-inside-the-d-c-courtroom-where-trump-pleaded-not-guilty-to-2020-election-charges Email Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr Share on Facebook Share on Twitter See sketches from inside the D.C. courtroom where Trump pleaded not guilty to 2020 election charges Politics Aug 3, 2023 7:42 PM EDT Less than two months since his last appearance in a federal courtroom to be arraigned, former President Donald Trump faced a judge in Washington, D.C., Thursday and pleaded not guilty to four charges related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Courtroom sketch by Bill Hennessy for PBS NewsHour. The 45th president of the United States appeared before Magistrate Judge Moxila A. Upadhyaya to answer to felony charges brought by a federal grand jury that were unsealed earlier this week. The indictment, signed by Special Counsel Jack Smith, charges Trump with conspiracy to defraud the nation, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights. Courtroom sketch by Bill Hennessy for PBS NewsHour. During the arraignment hearing, Upadhyaya released Trump with conditions. “If you fail to comply with any conditions of your release, a warrant may be issued for your arrest,” she told him, according to The Associated Press. The E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse where Trump was arraigned is located less than a mile from the U.S. Capitol, the site of a violent riot on Jan. 6, 2021 where the former president’s supporters breached the building as Congress was in the process of certifying President Joe Biden’s election victory. Courtroom sketch by Bill Hennessy for PBS NewsHour. Smith, appointed late last year by Attorney General Merrick Garland to oversee cases involving Trump, was present in the courtroom, along with three police officers who were on the scene at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Before departing the D.C. area, Trump called the case “persecution of a political opponent.” Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. “This is the persecution of the person that’s leading by very, very substantial numbers in the Republican primary and leading Biden by a lot,” he told reporters. “So if you can’t beat him, you persecute them or you prosecute him. We can’t let this happen in America.” Courtroom sketch by Bill Hennessy for PBS NewsHour. Find more of our coverage Trump’s lawyers meet with special counsel team as 2020 election investigation looms Trump says he’s been informed he’s target of investigation into efforts to overturn 2020 election Trump’s legal cases, explained Who are the witnesses testifying at the Jan. 6 hearings? The biggest takeaways from the first 8 Jan. 6 hearings We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now By — Dan Cooney Dan Cooney Dan Cooney is the PBS NewsHour's Social Media Producer/Coordinator. @IAmDanCooney
Less than two months since his last appearance in a federal courtroom to be arraigned, former President Donald Trump faced a judge in Washington, D.C., Thursday and pleaded not guilty to four charges related to his efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. Courtroom sketch by Bill Hennessy for PBS NewsHour. The 45th president of the United States appeared before Magistrate Judge Moxila A. Upadhyaya to answer to felony charges brought by a federal grand jury that were unsealed earlier this week. The indictment, signed by Special Counsel Jack Smith, charges Trump with conspiracy to defraud the nation, conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of and attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and conspiracy against rights. Courtroom sketch by Bill Hennessy for PBS NewsHour. During the arraignment hearing, Upadhyaya released Trump with conditions. “If you fail to comply with any conditions of your release, a warrant may be issued for your arrest,” she told him, according to The Associated Press. The E. Barrett Prettyman Federal Courthouse where Trump was arraigned is located less than a mile from the U.S. Capitol, the site of a violent riot on Jan. 6, 2021 where the former president’s supporters breached the building as Congress was in the process of certifying President Joe Biden’s election victory. Courtroom sketch by Bill Hennessy for PBS NewsHour. Smith, appointed late last year by Attorney General Merrick Garland to oversee cases involving Trump, was present in the courtroom, along with three police officers who were on the scene at the Capitol on Jan. 6. Before departing the D.C. area, Trump called the case “persecution of a political opponent.” Educate your inbox Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else. Enter your email address Subscribe Form error message goes here. Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm. “This is the persecution of the person that’s leading by very, very substantial numbers in the Republican primary and leading Biden by a lot,” he told reporters. “So if you can’t beat him, you persecute them or you prosecute him. We can’t let this happen in America.” Courtroom sketch by Bill Hennessy for PBS NewsHour. Find more of our coverage Trump’s lawyers meet with special counsel team as 2020 election investigation looms Trump says he’s been informed he’s target of investigation into efforts to overturn 2020 election Trump’s legal cases, explained Who are the witnesses testifying at the Jan. 6 hearings? The biggest takeaways from the first 8 Jan. 6 hearings We're not going anywhere. Stand up for truly independent, trusted news that you can count on! Donate now