Former President of the United States (POTUS) Donald Trump pleaded "not guilty" to all four charges stemming from the January 6, 2021 riot, as he appeared in a Washington, DC court.
Trump faces one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States, one count of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, one count of obstruction of an attempt to obstruct an official proceeding, and one count of conspiracy against rights.
Obama-nominated District Judge Tanya Chutkan has been assigned to preside over the criminal case.
Chutkan has spoken on numerous occasions against efforts to overturn the election and disrupt the transfer of power.
Moreover, she previously ruled against Trump's efforts to prevent his White House records from being given to the January 6 committee.
Trump’s first appearance comes not in front of Chutkan, but Magistrate Judge Moxila A. Upadhyaya.
This is Trump’s third indictment this year.
While en route to the hearing, the 77-year-old posted on TruthSocial that he "needs one more indictment to secure the election."
He also accused Democrats of an "unprecedented weaponization" of the judiciary against him, by far the Republican Party’s leading candidate for the 2024 presidential race.
Meanwhile, only six journalists were chosen, lottery-style, to sit inside the courtroom and the rest were directed to adjacent media rooms for the proceedings.
Inside the courtroom, Trump could be seen speaking with his attorneys, Todd Blanche and John Lauro, who accompanied him.
The next trial date was set for August 28.
