Donald Trump in New York to face criminal charges

Former US President Donald Trump is expected to appear before a specially secured Manhattan courthouse on Tuesday to be arraigned on history-making criminal charges related to paying hush money to a porn star during his 2016 presidential campaign. As per BBC report, Trump has been consulting lawyers at Trump Tower in New York City as he prepares to face history-making criminal charges. He has been under investigation over hush money paid just before the 2016 election to a porn star who says they had sex. He denies wrongdoing. Extra security measures are in place with the authorities expecting protests outside the Manhattan court on Tuesday.  Trump has been under investigation over a $130,000 (£105,000) wire transfer by his former attorney, Michael Cohen, to adult film star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 presidential election.

Hush money agreements are not illegal, but the Manhattan prosecutor has been investigating whether business records were falsified in relation to the payment. Trump has said he is innocent and he and his allies have portrayed the charges as politically motivated. Trump and his aides are using the indictment to rile up his supporters and bolster his 2024 re-election campaign.